On Russia's domestic situation plus the situation on the frontlines:
The State Duma is in the process of finalising a law that is causing significant alarm in the Russian army and amongst Z-bloggers. According to the bill, soldiers who use non-issued electronic devices such as mobile phones and VR goggles or commercial services such as Telegram could be punished with up to ten days' detention. The proclaimed purpose of the bill is to increase operational security.
Dimitri Rogozin writes in response that it's not necessary to explain to veterans what they should or shouldn't do at the front. 'Timny' proposes that the 'brilliant' deputies 'be sent to the front as part of an assault battalion' to 'attack the heights of Kleshcheyevka', 'but equipped exclusively in accordance with the law: Azart radios, Soviet-era body armour and reconnaissance drones, but without controls'.
Roman Saponkov a.k.a. 'Voenkor' emphasises the extraordinary importance of electronic gadgets in combat, including Telegram chat for coordination and online banking for the purchase of equipment, and asks rhetorically: 'Who needs such deputies?' Alexei Zhivov wonders why the deputies propose such 'insane plans disconnected from reality' rather than 'kissing the feet' of Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
'WarGonzo' scoffs that the only people thrilled about the bill are military police officers, on account of the prospect of collecting bribes from soldiers caught carrying forbidden items. And 'Vault8' reckons that those caught would, rather than sitting idly in custody for ten days, be liable to find themselves as 'volunteers' with a front row seat for the next dangerous assault mission (
source).
The chairman of the State Duma's defence committee, Andrey Kartapolov, responded to the criticism that the law was not about equipment essential for combat and jokingly reminded Rogozin that he himself had been wounded as a result of being located through his phone (
source).
Tactical leadership via Telegram chat. This dispute shows that the Russians still have massive problems with their C2I.
