You are listening to the War on the Rocks podcast on strategy, defense, and foreign affairs.

My name is Ryan Evans.

In this episode, the first of a series, we look back on the past to shine a light on the

present.

Putin's role as Supreme Commander of the Russian side of this war has been center stage offering

a performance, both floundering and frightful.

We're joined here by Sir Lawrence Friedman and Michael Kaufman

to walk through the post-Cold War history of the Kremlin in command,

especially Putin, but not just Putin,

starting with the first and second Chutcheon Wars

through the short Russo- Georgian War of 2008.

I highly recommend a book that's very germane to this episode by Lorry.

It's called Command, the Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine. It's beautifully written. I'm reading it now.

And I think you should read it too. After this episode we'll have at least two more bringing us up to the present.

Enjoy the show. So the first Chechen War was a catastrophe began late

1994 the Russian military is in a desperate state after the end of the Cold War

they're struggling to get recruits, officers aren't getting paid, there's massive corruption.

Gratchev, who's in charge, promises Putin that they can solve this problem that's developed with the Chechens, which is part of Russia, in a matter of days.

It's very similar in some sort of ways. It's reminiscent and they charged in towards Grozny and

of ambushed by the Chechens to have a terrible time and it's actually a war

they don't win in the end it goes on for years but it's a war they don't win it

ends with the the Chechens getting political concessions a man it all that

...