It is hard to describe how much the Russian public was shaken by the story of two Russian drone pilots, known by the nicknames Ernest and Goodwin, who in September 2024 exposed the corruption of their commander, for which they were subsequently sent on a suicide mission.
Their deaths sparked heated discussions on pro-war Telegram channels. The Kremlin was even forced to react. But commander Igor Puzik, the man who led them on the mission to their death, continues to lead quietly and is even portrayed on public television as a model officer, Foreign Policy wrote.
Now, among Russian soldiers, an expression has taken on an unusual meaning - “Puzikovschina.” This expression has become a symbol of everything that is going wrong in the Russian army: impunity, incompetence, and betrayal by its own people.
The term has become a symbol of the breakdown of trust between commanders and ordinary soldiers. In some Telegram groups, there have been statements from soldiers who have said that newly recruited recruits were promised a one-year contract, but in reality will be forced to serve in the army for an unlimited period.
Generals have become symbols of contempt. Aleksandr Lapin even gave his son medals, even though his troops were withdrawing from Kharkiv. And Colonel Rustam Muradov, known for the offensives in Vuhledar, is now a symbol of failure. All this, according to Russian soldiers, is due to corruption in military decisions. This system, according to Russians, has led to the loss of about 350 thousand Russians, not the 135 thousand that is publicly known. And in addition to the heavy losses on the battlefield in Ukraine, it is also reported that the number of soldiers deserting has increased significantly.
As a result of these events, even well-known bloggers with pro-war stances, such as Roman Saponkov, have warned that without punishing people like Puzik, mobilization will not succeed and that trust in the current military system cannot be restored.