It is reported that Major General Roman Kutuzov on Sunday led an operation around the village of Nikolaev, when Ukrainian artillery struck Russian positions in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine.
A few hours later, Alexander Sladkov, a reporter for Russian state television, told Telegram about his death post that welcomed the courage of the general.
“The general led the soldiers in the attack, as if there were not enough colonels,” Sladkov wrote.
Although Kutuzov’s death remains unconfirmed by Moscow, news of his death is another blow to Russia’s armed forces, which suffered disproportionately high losses to the commander-in-chief after invading Ukraine in late February, analysts at The Moscow Times said.
After regrouping its forces in eastern Ukraine in early April, Russian troops concentrated most of their troops in the Luhansk region, which is partly controlled by pro-Moscow separatists.
Over the past week, Russian troops have tried to capture the strategic city of Severodonetsk in Luhansk. Despite a number of successful counterattacks by Ukrainians in the city over the weekend, the governor of Luhansk region Sergei Gaidai said On Monday, the situation there remains “stably difficult.”
The village of Nikolaevka lies west of Severodonetsk, which confirms reports that Kutuzov was probably very close to the front line when he was killed.
According to Sladkov, Kutuzov is the fourth Russian general killed in Ukraine. The Kremlin has confirmed only three, and Western media sources have confirmed put quantity not less than 12.
Among those killed were Deputy Commander of the 41st All-Russian Army Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky and Lieutenant General Yakov Rezantsev, one of the most senior Russians killed in Ukraine. It is reported that Rezantsev was killed in battles around the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
Although his post at the time of his death remained unconfirmed, Major General Kutuzov served as commander of the 5th All-Russian Army and later deputy commander of the 29th All-Russian Army.
Major Generals are some of the most senior figures fighting in Ukraine. One rank above the colonel, their role involves being the commander of a division, which means they are entrusted with the “direct command” of a large number of troops, according to independent military analyst Pavel Luzin.
Analysts attribute the high death rate of Russian generals in Ukraine to communication problems on the battlefield, which brings generals closer to the front line to give orders.
“There are problems with independent thinking and decision-making,” Luzin said.
The deaths of such high-ranking officials have dealt a severe blow to the level of military experience of Russian forces on the battlefield, according to Sam Cranie Evans, a military analyst at the Royal United Services Institute in London.
According to numerous reports, Russia has sent many young, inexperienced soldiers to Ukraine, due to the high mortality rate in Russia and the slow progress.
“Some high-ranking Russian officers could have fought in Afghanistan, twice in Chechnya, in Georgia, Syria, Ukraine, so there is a possibility of losing a lot of experience,” said Creney Evans.
According to the Telegram post According to the pro-Kremlin WarGonzo account, run by Russian journalist Semyon Pegov, General Kutuzov served in Syria, where he was described as one of the “most authoritative and effective commanders of Russian forces in Syria.”
Kutuzov was allegedly sent to the areas where the fighting was fiercest, the report said.
The news of the major general’s death shocked pro-war Russian military bloggers, who described Kutuzov as one of the most competent generals in the Russian Armed Forces.
«[His] principledness, appearance, behavior, fearlessness, even the name of Roman Kutuzov – all were an example of the true image of the father-commander. wrote Sweets.
But instead of thinking about how another member of the Russian military leadership died in Ukraine, Sladkov in a letter shared by many on social networks in VKontakte, reflected on what he called the unsurpassed courage of Russian generals, who, unlike generals of foreign troops, fighting shoulder to shoulder with soldiers.
“These are our modern Russian generals – are foreigners really leading soldiers to attack?” No, ours, yes. Among them is the deceased Raman Kutuzov. “
