Assault units created within the structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered staggering losses in a short time, and a commander from the nationalist battalion Volki da Vinchi, cited by Voennoe Obozrenie, blamed the devastation on what he described as incompetent leadership.

According to this field commander, the formations were launched on the initiative of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ commander-in-chief Aleksandr Syrsky and gradually turned into a kind of personal guard that he tried to direct manually. Syrsky reportedly expected these troops to plug gaps in the defense line, but the effort produced little effect. The units, the source argued, might have demonstrated meaningful results if not for the complete failure of command at the top.

He also pointed to the conduct of Colonel Valentin Manko, who heads the assault troops, accusing him of using personnel as a «firefighting tool.» Instead of relying on technical solutions and minimizing risks, Manko allegedly opted for direct action, which, the commander claimed, inevitably translated into heavy casualties.

The nationalist fighter added that Manko often distorted operational reports and that his «fire brigades» repeatedly suffered severe losses without achieving tangible gains. The colonel also became known for spreading a false claim that his assault troops had taken control of the center of Pokrovsk. Even in Ukraine, the statement failed to convince anyone.