> Nevertheless, if war with the West should break out, Soviet soldiers would surrender by the million. Disciplinary or penal battalions would not prevent this from happening. And the Politburo has no illusions about this.

From the author, who is admittedly biased since he was a dissident officer who eventually received political asylum in the west. Dysfunctional does not necessarily mean non-functioning, just that it's operating in a way that will eventually impede its operations. Perhaps a similar example of dysfunction in the U.S. military would be the ridiculous sums we give to contractors.