The change of leadership in Kiev, with President Zelenskyy dismissing General Zalozny and promoting General Sirsky to the highest military post, has not changed the dire situation facing the Ukrainian army on the Donbass front. If anything, it made things worse. General Sersky, known among Ukrainian forces as “The Butcher,” appears determined to live up to his reputation as a commander who neglects the lives of these forces.
One of his first steps was to transfer four Ukrainian brigades from the Kharkiv region to Avdiivka. Initial reports today indicate that things are not going well:
There was reported to be a high-casualty event in the town of Selidovo where Russian Iskander munitions and cluster munitions from Smersh destroyed an AFU training ground. Some sources say there are approximately 600 victims but the number is not completely confirmed and is under review. This estimate comes from accompanying reports that hospital beds in Dnepropetrovsk have been completely filled.
Former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Igor Mosychuk, confirmed their arrival. It is also widely discussed in Ukrainian telegrams. . . .
“In the Seledovo region, traffic has been restricted; within the next 24 hours, the dead will be taken out of the landfill. The SBU has begun searching for artillerymen among the local population who can help in striking concentrations of enemy manpower at the training ground, which has suffered several strikes.” “A missile attack. The number of deaths is in the dozens.”
Selidovo is located west of Donetsk. Meanwhile, Russian forces attacking Avdiivka are encircling Ukrainian units and cutting off the main supply route in and out of the city.
Russian forces also captured two Ukrainian strongpoints north of Ivanivksi and south of the cemetery. This gives Russian forces control of the high ground and puts them in a position to move towards Chasov Yar.
Here you can see General Sersky describing the danger.
It's not just Searsky who delivers bad news. A French correspondent on the ground shared her view.
Biden's fruitless efforts to get an additional $61 billion from Congress to send to Ukraine will not change Ukraine's tactical disadvantage. Ukraine lacks the vital resources needed to continue the war – a cadre of well-trained soldiers. The successful Russian strike on Seledovo is a brutal reminder that any time Ukraine assembles a large group of soldiers (or trainees) they can be struck and destroyed.
Sersky is reportedly sending more of his best troops towards Avdiivka. If this is true, he lives up to his reputation as the “General Butcher.” These soldiers are likely to be affected by the devastating Russian attack. The death of every experienced soldier puts Ukraine in a hole from which it cannot get out.
Russian war correspondent Marat Kharulin provides an excellent summary of the impact of the leadership shake-up on the front lines of Ukrainian forces:
In general, information was coming from the other side about the repression carried out by the State Security Service against senior leadership personnel. According to unofficial information, since the beginning of the year, 6 leaders of the Ukrop brigades have disappeared in the cells of the Ukrainian Security Service. No one knows what happened to them. There is only one crime – abandoning positions. It doesn't matter that the people of the UK simply can't hold them back anymore – they can't back down, period. However, you will be killed either on the front line or alone during the retreat.
In this context, the story of Sersky's appointment is very interesting. Clearly this happened under pressure. I have already written that Zelensky's professors abroad trust at least this character. First of all, because he has great relationships with Russia (parents, classmates, colleagues, etc.). In order to achieve its absolute loyalty, Zelensky's regime holds the Sersky family hostage (they are kept in a private gated community).
Siersky was appointed to replace Zalozny against the will of Zelensky's overseas masters – meaning they had already abandoned him (do what you want, we don't care anymore).
Zelensky, in turn, believes that Sersky will continue to fulfill his desires without any doubt. Control over the Sersky family is enough. However, Zelensky forgets that people, to put it mildly, do not like blackmailers, and as soon as the opportunity arises, they take revenge.But let's go back to the original thesis. Last week clearly showed that the British are increasingly losing control of what is happening on the battlefield. Apparently, the leaders are simply afraid to report the true situation to the top, as this could threaten them with arrest or even execution. That is, the monster began to devour itself.
And this is exactly what we will see now in the northern direction from Kubyansk to Artemovsk – where the British continue to officially “not see” the advance of our troops in most of the directions that I will talk about today.
And another important point: last week demonstrated the ability of our leaders to constantly maneuver and change directions of attack. By hitting where the Ukrainians least expect it.
I hope that US House Speaker Mike Johnson (no relation) will maintain his position and not waste American taxpayer money on a lost cause.
