The Latest Breaking News from Valery Gerasimov

Vladimir Putin has gathered a Chechen warlord and a notorious mercenary leader after appointing General Valery Gerasimov as head of Russian forces as troops continue to shell Ukraine

The appointment of Valery Gerasimov signals Moscow’s failing war effort and fraught domestic politics, analysts say.

President Vladimir Putin has put his top military officer Valery Gerasimov in charge of Russia’s stalled invasion of Ukraine, in the latest reshuffle since the start of the war. The chief of the general staff will be expected to bolster the army’s sagging war effort while contending with the Wagner…

The Pentagon said on Thursday that Russia's persistent troubles in Ukraine likely led to latest shake-up in military leadership, and urged Moscow to end the war instead turning to new generals to oversee the nearly year-long invasion.

The battle over the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar has been raging for several days now, with claims and counter-claims about whether Russia now has full control there.

Experts have described the move as a "significant" development.

President Vladimir Putin's defence minister has appointed Russia's most senior general, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, 67, to lead its war in Ukraine, the most dramatic in a series of senior command changes since Russia invaded in February.

The operation was conducted without using electrocoagulation

The UK is considering a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine , and Poland wants to pass on a dozen or so of their Leopard 2 tanks – if the German Government gives permission to export.