Timoshenko was a competent but traditionalist military commander who nonetheless saw the urgent need to modernise the Red Army if, as expected, it was to fight a war against Nazi Germany.
Timosjenko var en kompetent men traditionelt tænkende militær leder, som ikke desto mindre indså det akutte behov for at modernisere den Røde Hær, hvis den, som ventet, skulle komme i krig med Tyskland.