Ukraine war: Some Russian generals were removed by the Kremlin due to conflict – British Defense Intelligence says | World News

British Defense Intelligence reports that a number of generals have been removed from command by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army due to the progress of the Ukraine war.

They include the Commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel Andrei Serdyukov; and the commander of the Southern Force Group, Army General Alexandr Dvornikov, according to the intelligence service of Defense Minister.

It comes as Ukraine may be reconfiguring its defenses towards the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk region, in the face of the growing profits of Russian armored units on the southern edge of the already established region. construction, added Defense Intelligence.

On Friday, Ukrainian forces were ordered to withdraw from Severodonetsk after weeks of fierce street fighting, to limit further casualties and regroup.

This move, it was the biggest strategic loss for Ukraine since withdrawing from Mariupol, can be seen by Russia as a significant victory.

The focus of the fighting is expected to shift to Lysychansk, an industrial city of similar size to Severodonetsk, just a few miles from the River Siverskyi Donets, also in the Luhansk province of the Donbas.

Ukrainian officials said troops in Severodonetsk had been ordered to withdraw because there were few defensive forces left in the bombed-out eastern city.

The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Gaidai, said on Ukrainian television that “it makes no sense to stay in smashed positions for months just for the sake of staying there.”

The fate of hundreds of civilians trapped in a chemical plant remains unknown.

South of Lysychansk, Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from the towns of Hirske and Zolote in the face of overwhelming Russian forces, according to an adviser to the President of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said the withdrawal did not mean his country lost the war, pointing out that Russia wanted to occupy the eastern Donbas region on May 9.

Severodonetsk, Lysychansk and their surrounding areas are the last major pockets of Ukrainian resistance in the Luhansk region – 95% of which are under the control of local and Russian separatists.

UK PM warns of pressure on peace deal

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was concerned Ukraine might face pressure to agree a peace deal with Russia that is not in its favor, due to the economic consequences of the war in Europe.

“Too many countries are saying that this is a European war unnecessary … and so the pressure will be increasing to encourage – coerce, maybe – the Ukrainians to move forward,” he said. a bad peace.

Mr Johnson, who is inside Rwandan Kigali capital for the Commonwealth summit, said the consequences of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin could reach Ukraine would jeopardize international security and be “a lasting economic disaster”.

He underscored his personal support for Ukraine by telling the BBC that if the British government decides that “we must abandon Ukraine policy because it is simply becoming too difficult and … the price to pay… too great in terms of inflation… the economic damage” he will resign because he has accepted that he has “lost a very important argument”.

British Defense Intelligence said that General Dvornikov may have served as commander of the full-scale operation in Ukraine for a while.

According to UK intelligence officials, the pair are just the latest to lose their posts as a result of the war, with Lieutenant General Serhiy Kisel, the commander of the elite 1st Guards Tank Army, was also said to be potentially suspended for his failure to capture Kharkiv, and Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, was said to be potentially fired for sinking the ship. cruiser Moscow in April.

Ukraine has some success in the Kherson region

Southern Forces Command (SGF) is likely to hand over to Colonel Sergei Surovikin, as the SGF continues to play a central role in the Russian offensive in the Donbas, British Defense Intelligence added.

For more than 30 years, Colonel Surovikin’s career was associated with allegations of corruption and brutality.

Ukraine’s General Staff reports that its troops have achieved some success in the Kherson area, pushing back Russian troops from defensive positions near the village of Olhine, as the latest result in a series of counter-attacks. of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a Russian attack on a military base in Yavoriv, ​​western Ukraine, injured 4 people, Governor of Lviv
Maxim Kozitsky said in a video post on Saturday.

Kozitsky said six missiles were fired from the Black Sea, four hit the target and two were intercepted and
destroyed before attacking the base.

On Friday, President Zelenskyy speaking to a crowd at Glastonbury via a videolink: “We in Ukraine also want to live our lives like we used to and enjoy our freedom and this wonderful summer, but we can’t do it because the most terrible thing has happened – water Russia has stolen our peace.”