Russia is attempting to deflect the blame for losing the army base in Makiivka to preserve Putin’s authority.

According to the ISW, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, although it has acknowledged the loss, is trying to shift the responsibility for it to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). They, in turn, claim that the military is to blame for everything, as they used mobile phones and thus allowed the Ukrainians to track the signals and determine the coordinates for the attack. The Russian Ministry of Defense’s vague recognition of the strike caused criticism of the Russian military command. The Wagner Group noted that the command made it easier for the Ukrainian forces to strike by keeping several hundred soldiers in one place, and also called “lies” the explanation from the DNR regarding the use of mobile phones. Such military setbacks will further complicate Putin’s efforts to reassure the Russian military community and maintain the dominant narrative in the domestic intelligence space, the ISW added. Putin’s failure to respond to criticism and correct the shortcomings of Russia’s military campaign undermines his credibility as a practical military leader, analysts concluded.