Concerned About Army’s Loyalty, Putin Boosts Role of Political Commissars

(Paul Globe – The Jamestown Foundation) Since Russian President Vladimir Putin began his expanded war against Ukraine, the Kremlin leader has dramatically expanded the number and role of political commissars in the military, figures who watch over the attitudes and actions of both officers and enlisted men. This revival of a Soviet-era practice suggests that the Kremlin leader is worried about the loyalty of his military commanders and troops and sees such a system as the best way to ensure the army does not become a political threat. Just as in Soviet times, these commissars are despised by the military, and their revival now may again backfire, leading some in the Russian army to support opponents of the current ruler who promise to eliminate this competitor and irritant. – Concerned About Army’s Loyalty, Putin Boosts Role of Political Commissars – Jamestown