Russia fires commander for false claims about progress of war in Ukraine, military bloggers say

Russia has removed a senior commander from his post for making false claims about the progress of the war in parts of eastern Ukraine, according to military bloggers and Russian media.

Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the South Forces Group, was dismissed after providing misleading information about Russia’s progress near the Siversk settlement in the eastern region of Donetsk, according to the bloggers.

Russian media RBC reported Anashkin’s removal, citing unnamed sources within the Russian Ministry of Defense who said he was removed as part of a planned rotation. There has been no official confirmation from Russian officials.

Ukrainian forces are facing “one of the most powerful Russian offensives” since the start of the war on the frontlines, according to Ukraine’s army chief.

But progress has been slower in some regions, with many settlements becoming “synonymous with lies and unjustified losses,” Rybar, one of the most prominent Russian military blogs, said on Telegram.

“Only the lazy did not write about the problems there: in general, it took the system about two months to respond to it properly,” Rybar added, referring to multiple settlements near the frontline that Anashkin allegedly lied about capturing.

Some bloggers claim that false reports made by several commanders about the situation on the ground have led to heavy losses among Russian units.

Military bloggers have become a key source of information since Russian’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many have deep sources within the state’s armed forces or among pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.