R
Ussia has brought a commander on charges of “brutality” in a military jolt, the Defense Ministry (MOD) said.
In its latest update, the Defense Ministry said the Russian high command has removed several generals from key operational positions.
One of them includes, the commander of the Southern Forces Group (SGF) army general Alexandr Dvornikov.
It is likely that General Dvornikov has overseen the general operational control that the Ministry of Defense has said and has been replaced by Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.
READ MORE
“For more than thirty years, Surovikin’s career has been shrouded in allegations of corruption and brutality,” the Defense Ministry adds.
The Ministry of Defense also reported that forces are still concentrated in the town of Severedontesk, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks.
The update adds: “Ukraine is likely to reconfigure its defense of the Sieverodonetsk-Lysychansk sector, as Russian armored units continue to make progressive gains at the southern end of the construction area.”
Due to the consistent bombing, Luhansk regional chief Serhiy Haidai said they have now been told that the forces will be evacuated to new positions.
A Ukrainian withdrawal would leave most of Luhansk under Russian control, except the city of Lysychansk.
“Staying in positions that have been bombarded non-stop for months makes no sense,” Haidai told Ukrainian television.
“Ukrainian forces have been ordered to withdraw to new positions and continue their operations from there.”
Civilians are believed to have taken refuge in the city’s Nitrogen plant while Russia continues with its plans to take the Donbas region.
In addition, a Russian airstrike hit a military facility in western Ukraine, Lyiv Governor Maxim Kozitsky said.
He claimed six missiles fired from the Black Sea and four of them hit the Yavoriv military facility.