The Ukrainian military leadership has replaced the commander of the troops in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces are making rapid progress, a military official announced today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
Fifty-four-year-old General Oleksandr Tarnavsky has been appointed commander of the operational and tactical group of troops “Donetsk“ replacing General Oleksandr Lutsenko, a Ukrainian army general staff official told Reuters.
Lutsenko has been criticized by Ukrainian military bloggers and some lawmakers for failing to stop the rapid advance of Russian forces towards the strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.
The fighting around Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for the Ukrainian army in Donetsk region, comes at a crucial moment in the war, Reuters reported.
Ukraine is retreating on the battlefield, while Russian troops are making their fastest advance since the war began in February 2022.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced several other generals, saying the changes were necessary.
Ukrainian military command “Khortytsia“ („Grhatka“) said today that Russian forces had destroyed several Ukrainian positions in villages around Pokrovsk, improving their tactical positions after „exhausting fighting“ and forcing Kiev forces to retreat.
In its daily briefing, the Ukrainian military reported a total of 62 combat engagements near Pokrovsk in the past 24 hours.
According to Ukrainian officials, nearly 11,000 local residents still remain in Pokrovsk, and as a result of the incessant artillery shelling, the town is without electricity, water and gas.