11 JULY 2023
Valerii Markus, Sergeant Major from the 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “Magura”, has asked to be demoted because of the ongoing disagreement with the brigade’s commanders.
Source: Valerii Markus on Facebook
Quote: “I’m totally opposed to the decisions that have been made regarding the deployment and development of the 47th Brigade. We haven’t been allowed to develop the military unit in line with the values we have stated at the time it was being created. I no longer have opportunities to influence or rectify the situation. I no longer think it is appropriate for me to remain the brigade’s sergeant major.
I can’t abandon my people, so I’m VOLUNTARILY taking the lowest rank to be closer to them on the battlefield.
The commander has received my resignation notice.
Semper Audentes (Always Brave – ed.)!”
Details: Markus, who met with President Zelenskyy in the latter’s office in June, believes that the work of his brigade’s sergeant corps is routinely undermined; the command has failed to understand the importance of the soldiers’ morale and to champion the brigade’s interests before the higher command; and the incompetence of senior officers goes unpunished.
Markus said that his brigade’s deputy commander was an “amoral degenerate” and said that working alongside him was “debasing” his honour and dignity.
Background:
- On 28 June, Valerii Markus posted on Facebook about a day of assaults and a night spent alongside the dead bodies of Russian soldiers; Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi left a moving comment, asking Markus to make sure he had body armour on at all times.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Markus that same week to discuss the reform of the sergeant corps.
- The 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade is engaged in operations in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
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“Markus, who met with President Zelenskyy in the latter’s office in June, believes that the work of his brigade’s sergeant corps is routinely undermined; the command has failed to understand the importance of the soldiers’ morale and to champion the brigade’s interests before the higher command; and the incompetence of senior officers goes unpunished.”
These are, in my view, serious accusations. We see what incompetence can do to a military force. This is something we make fun of on the mafia side. Although I’m sure that on the Ukrainian side, incompetence is rather an exception, it should be addressed, immediately and thoroughly.
Denys Davydov brought this up on his recent YT broadcast. There are still dinosaurs in the AFU chain of command that must be dealt with. This letter should not have been leaked to the public, but it does shine a spotlight on a very pressing need for accountability at all levels.
Maybe the AFU general staff or Ukrainian government should address such issues ASAP, sir Bill. Having this leaked to the public might be the catalyst for doing this. It is much more dangerous to let such things fester than having everyone know about it.
Good. This thing about corruption in the Ukrainian government, which I think lingers more from the legacy of the USSR’s old communist influence rather than Ukraine’s cultural heritage, it has been a problem for building trust. I firmly believe there’s many good Ukrainians who genuinely want to leave behind the taint that Ukraine suffered under the Cold War, but communism had offered an incentive in that laziness would be rewarded, and honest effort got punished. Those lessons can be difficult for some to give up, and some in the West think of the past because it’s what they’re used to.
When marx said, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs,” he neglected to include how this suggested those of serious skill were obligated to give anything asked of them, to the CLAIM of some “need,” which might not even be a real need at all. Sometimes only the “appearance” of a “need,” was enough for the mob to steal what didn’t rightly belong to them. I work at a steel mill, and yes the owner drives a fancy car. But he’s enjoying the incentive of his hard work, which helped to create the job I get paid a good wage for. If could claim a “need” for his fancy car, maybe I’d enjoy it for a little while at the owner’s expense, but how long would the support of my job last under that? Wouldn’t that idea suggest to others that maybe they could take the fancy car I would have taken from the owner? I’m able to survive easily, and even go on brief vacations with what I earn at honest work. I should be satisfied with the incentive of honesty, and that I can increase my reward if I improve my work.
Sounds like that military officer may be trying to demonstrate what he’s willing to do, if the long term goal will mean that his efforts will provide a better coordination with his men in the field. I pray he gets a fair compensation for his effort.
Well said, sir Mac!
Sounds like the legacy of the USSR is still alive in Ukraine. OTOH, if the SGM had been Russian and complained to the head of state, he’d be shot.
And then compressed on a pallet with other murdered people.