A general in Russia has been fired after being accused of falsifying reports of battlefield successes in Ukraine.
Colonel General Gennady Anashkin was commander of the Russian Army’s ‘Southern Group’, fighting in eastern Ukraine.
A Russian military blog channel, Military Informant, has claimed that “false reports of supposedly profound successful breakthroughs” began to emerge from Siversk, near where Anashkin’s soldiers are fighting Ukraine.
Meanwhile, pro-Putin Telegram channel Rybar claimed that Anashkin had unnecessarily killed hundreds of men after sending them to the front lines, ill-prepared and ill-equipped for battle.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the Kremlin and Russian military had not yet commented on the alleged looting.
State media have reported that a Defense Ministry source acknowledged his resignation but claimed it was due to a “planned rotation.”
Nevertheless, Russian bloggers have welcomed the removal, claiming it could lead to improvements in military operations and place greater value on soldiers’ lives.
Anashkin was appointed commander of the Southern Group of the Russian Army only in May.
Colonel General Gennady Anashkin was the commander of the Russian Army’s ‘Southern Group’, fighting in eastern Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin. State media have reported that a Defense Ministry source acknowledged his dismissal but claimed it was due to a ‘planned rotation’
A Russian military blog channel, Military Informant, has claimed that “false reports of supposedly profound successful breakthroughs” began to emerge from Siversk, near where Anashkin’s soldiers are fighting in Ukraine.
For his role in leading airborne units during Russia’s 2008 war with Georgia, he was named a Hero of Russia, the country’s highest honorary title.
His alleged resignation comes after a top Russian general was reportedly killed by British Storm Shadow missiles on November 20.
The attack launched by Ukraine destroyed Lieutenant General Valery Solodchuk along with 500 North Korean soldiers.
It also resulted in 18 Putin officers being reported missing and another 18 injured.
This was the first time that British Storm Shadow missiles were used as targets deep in Russia.
It is understood that the point-missiles had hit a Putin command post and military facility, with the scale of Russian losses now said to have been enormous.
Russian authorities have not yet confirmed any losses that would be serious for either Russia or North Korea, and the reports have yet to be independently verified.
The Storm Shadows targeted an underground military facility in Maryino on a Tsarist estate in the Kursk region on November 20.