Vengeful Vladimir Putin has fired at least six Russian commanders over Kremlin troops’ performances on the battlefield, British intelligence revealed today.
The Ministry of Defence ’s latest assessment said 10 top generals had been killed in conflict and six sacked since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The MoD said: “The poor performance of Russia ’s armed forces during its invasion of Ukraine has been costly for Russia’s military leadership, highly likely resulting in the dismissal of at least six Russian commanders since the start of hostilities in February 2022."
The commanders of Russia’s Eastern and Western Military Districts have highly likely lost their commands.
General-Colonel Aleksandr Chayko was dismissed as Commander of the Eastern Military District in May 2022.
General-Colonel Aleksandr Zhuravlev, who has commanded the Western Military District since 2018, was absent from Russia’s Navy Day in St Petersburg on 31 July 2022 and has highly likely been replaced by General-Lieutenant Vladimir Kochetkov.
General Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dvornikov has subsequently been removed after being given overall command of the operation in Ukraine, and General Sergei Surovikin has assumed command of the Southern Grouping of Forces from General Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko.
These dismissals are compounded by at least 10 Russian Generals killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The cumulative effect on consistency of command is likely contributing to Russian tactical and operational difficulties.
The fresh intelligence comes after Tory leadership hopeful and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the war in Ukraine will end when the Russians leave Ukraine.
During the Sky News debate, the Foreign Secretary was asked how she would propose to broker peace in Ukraine.
She said: “Well, the only way this war will end is when the Russians leave Ukraine. And we need to make sure that we enable the Ukrainians to defeat Vladimir Putin. If there’s any failed peace settlement, if there’s any giveaway of Ukrainian territory, what we know from history is Russia will just come back for more.”
She went on: “I certainly think it would be wrong for us to give away any territory on behalf of the Ukrainians.
“Now, of course, President (Volodomyr) Zelensky ultimately is the person who has to determine what an eventual peace deal would look like.
"And he has been very clear that Russia needs to leave the entirety of the Ukrainian territory, but I think it’d be completely wrong for the United Kingdom or indeed any other country to say Ukraine should give up part of their territory. That would be very wrong.”
