Putin's scapegoats: Russian commanders apparently fired and arrested

Created: 05/15/2022, 10:11 am

Russia suffers heavy losses in the Ukraine war, the head of the Ukrainian secret service speaks of a turning point.

Putin reacts.

Moscow – Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov has been revealed.

At least that's what the British news portal The Independent reports.

According to Oleksiy Arestovych, military adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there is "preliminary information" pointing to Gerasimov's suspension.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his closest advisers are now examining whether Gerasimov can continue to lead the military forces.

There is no official confirmation of the dismissal of the military commander.

According to the Independent, speculation about the firing of senior military commanders has mounted after Gerasimov failed to show up at Russia's annual May 9 Victory Day parade.

The Russian armed forces have suffered numerous setbacks in the Ukraine conflict: The capital Kyiv was not taken early on, so the Russian soldiers withdrew, reports The Independent.

Russian forces then advanced into Ukraine's Donbass, where separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces for years.

There, too, the Russian military had not succeeded in taking cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is apparently making his military leaders scapegoats for the losses in the Ukraine war.

© Russian Look/Kremlin Pool/Imago

Vladimir Putin dismisses military leaders: Firings published on Telegram

Another example is the fighting in Mariupol, where Ukrainian fighters entrenched themselves in a steel mill.

According to The Independent, Russia's limited military successes in the war against Ukraine have fueled speculation that military leaders may be deposed.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, even spoke of an imminent turning point in the Ukraine conflict.

In addition, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported on Telegram that two other commanders had been dismissed because of the losses on the Russian side.

Admiral Igor Osipov, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, was arrested, commanders Vladislav Ershov, Sergei Kisel and Major General Arkady Marzoev were relieved of their posts.

Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, has been suspended.

© Tolga Bozoglu/dpa

According to the Independent, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said last week that Russian military leaders were appalled by their suspensions.

"You have to be careful when you have sole command of something in the Russian system because that could change quickly," Wallace is quoted as saying.

Even if Vladimir Putin is respected as a "strong leader", the Russian system is currently crumbling.

The Russian General Staff is being made the scapegoat for Putin's chaos.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has also been sharply criticized: he is accused of criminal negligence.

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