Repeats Stalin's actions: ISW analyzes Putin's military personnel policy since full-scale war start 

This is stated in a special report by the Institute for the Study of War, which details changes in the Russian military command after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

American analysts note that Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine without a clear and doctrinal command structure and his reluctance to appoint an overall theater commander had a lasting impact on the Russian command structure in Ukraine.

"Putin’s regular command changes have led to an increasingly factionalized Russian military and disorganized command structures that are degrading the Russian military’s ability to conduct a cohesive campaign in Ukraine," ISW wrote.

The analysts added that the Russian Defense Ministry and the Kremlin have been deliberately vague about most of these command changes.

Experts emphasized that Putin's reluctance to appoint a general commander for the invasion of Ukraine had a cascading effect on the Russian army. In April 2022, Western officials reported that Russia had not had a single commander of its forces in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24, 2022.

"Putin likely sought to present himself as the commander-in-chief and the mastermind of the successful invasion of Ukraine. Captured Russian military plans revealed that the Kremlin expected Russian forces to capture Kyiv in mere days, and Putin had likely wanted to declare this speedy invasion a personal geopolitical victory," ISW suggested.

They also found commonalities in the behavior of Vladimir Putin and Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

"Putin may have been reluctant to appoint a commander for this invasion to avoid crediting a military commander with the military victory in Ukraine – a dynamic similar to the one between Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov during World War II. Stalin had limited and outdated wartime experience and was reportedly jealous of Zhukov’s military exploits and fame," ISW said. 

After analyzing the reshuffles in the Russian army during the full-scale war, the Institute for the Study of War stated that the Kremlin and the Russian Ministry of Defense tried to use command changes to obtain the desired informational effect to compensate for the failures in Ukraine.

"Putin and the MoD have either obscured or carefully announced command changes throughout the war in Ukraine to shield themselves from criticism, set up scapegoats for military failures. Putin’s affinity for rotating personnel and not outright dismissing commanders is emblematic of his style of domestic rule, a style of leadership not well suited for leading a military engaged in a costly war," ISW emphasized.