Controversy Surrounds 47th Brigade Commander: Syrsky Criticizes Shirshyn’s Public Remarks and Their Underlying Motives
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, publicly addressed recent statements made by Colonel Oleksandr Shirshyn, the commander of the 47th mechanized brigade. In his comments, Syrsky noted that Shirshyn's posts, which criticized tactical tasks on the Kursh region and expressed disagreement with commanding orders, appeared less as military concerns and more as attempts to attract attention or fulfill personal ambitions. Syrsky explained that during the time of these posts, Shirshyn was on vacation abroad, and the military leadership was prepared to contact him for clarification. Syrsky emphasized that such posts seem motivated by a desire for recognition or self-promotion rather than genuine military necessity. He expressed surprise that commanders at the local level could independently decide whether to carry out assigned tasks, stressing that refusal to do so could lead to investigations and disciplinary measures, akin to the incidents on Belgorod territory. Additionally, Syrsky responded to questions about numerous supportive posts on the brigade’s social media accounts following Shirshyn’s criticism, framing them as natural reactions from subordinates. The general’s stance is that decisions regarding combat tasks are solely made by the command, and individual wishes of soldiers do not influence strategic choices. Shirshyn, in his interview, revealed that he had previously proposed transferring to another position, but this was declined by higher command. He underscored that he never called for insubordination among his troops and views his publications as outlets for voicing genuine concerns about operational conditions. "My soldiers ask me: commander, are you ready to lead a battalion for unauthorized leaving (SP)? I do not incite them to such actions, I only feel their fatigue and dissatisfaction with the current conditions. I am extremely proud of my soldiers; they have accomplished a lot, and it is important for me that their voices are heard," he said. Nevertheless, Shirshyn pointed out that refusing to carry out orders is extremely difficult due to strict oversight by the command, and any such refusal could trigger internal investigations, as had happened previously. The background of the conflict includes Shirshyn’s accusations of indiscipline following his posts regarding casualties and tactical challenges on the Russian side of the border, along with sarcastic remarks aimed at the official Ukrainian General Staff page. Overall, this situation highlights ongoing tensions within Ukrainian military units and sparks debate over the balance between individual initiative and strict military discipline in the context of ongoing war.