Putin Suspends Chief of Staff of Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov over Failure in Ukraine Invasion

The Russian Armed Forces Chief of Staff has been suspended over failures in the Ukraine invasion. General Valery Gerasimov has been suspended from his services and it's the highest top-ranking suspension since the invasion began, claimed Kyiv.

Oleksiy Arestovych, Ukraine's military intelligence officer close to President Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed that Gerasimov and a number of Russia's senior commanders have been suspended over military failures in Ukraine.

General Valery Gerasimov
General Valery Gerasimov Twitter

Several Military Officers Have Been Suspended

"According to preliminary information, Gerasimov has been de-facto suspended. They are deciding whether to give him time to fix things, or not," said Arestovych, speaking to dissident Russian lawyer and politician Mark Feygin on YouTube last night, according to Daily Mail.

He also revealed that the commander of the first tank army of the western military district Lieutenant General Sergei Kisel has also been arrested and fired after the first tank army faced defeat near Kharkiv.

Gerasimov Didn't Attend Russia's Victory Day Parade

Russia's two more army generals and two naval commanders either are sacked or arrested due to massive losses on the battlefield, claimed Ukraine's Interior Ministry.

It came after Gerasimov failed to attend Russia's Victory Parade, which he was widely expected to attend.

Arestovych revealed that his information about Gerasimov is preliminary but his absence from the Victory Day parade suggests possible actions against him.

Putin had sent Gerasimov to Ukraine to turn the war around but he was injured by shrapnel.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet commander Admiral Igor Osipov is also believed to have been arrested or removed from his position. The Fleet's first deputy commander Vice-Admiral Sergei Pinchukis also being investigated.

Admiral Igor Osipov
Admiral Igor Osipov Twitter

The suspension of Russia's top military commanders came after Ukraine claimed that they have killed more than 25000 Russian soldiers in the war and destroyed thousands of Russia's tanks armored vehicles, helicopters, and other weaponry.

On Thursday, Ukraine Armed Forces said that they have nearly 26,500 Russian troops have lost their lives in the war and they have destroyed 1195 Russian tanks, 199 planes, 2019 Russia's military vehicles 534 artillery systems, and many others.

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