Head of Russia’s General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov visited the frontline in eastern Ukraine at the end of last week, The New York Times reported, citing a high-ranking Ukrainian official. Two US officials also backed this report.
Valery Gerasimov. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense
The newspaper stated that when Ukrainian forces launched an attack on the Russian-controlled city of Izium on Saturday evening, Gerasimov had already departed for Russia. However, about 200 Russian officers were killed in the attack, including at least one general, the Ukrainian official claimed.
NYT sources from the US confirmed that Gerasimov had visited eastern Ukraine in the past couple of days, however, they do not have information on the alleged Ukrainian attack on the Russian headquarters in Izium. The Russian Defence Ministry has not responded to NYT’s request for comment yet.
Yesterday, Ruslan Leviev, an expert with Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), an open-source military analytics group, informed that Gerasimov had visited Ukraine, citing his sources. According to CIT, Gerasimov left Belgorod Airport the day before. Russian Defence Ministry and National Guard aircrafts were also seen at the airport. At the same time, the village of Kalinino in Russia’s Belgorod Region was reportedly shelled.
Military reporter and blogger Alexander Shulman earlier claimed that Gerasimov had been wounded in the area of Izium. This report was later deemed incorrect.
Reportedly, Gerasimov was one of only three people, along with President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who were principally in charge of plotting the war in Ukraine, NYT said. The newspaper added that the presence of such a high-ranking official on the frontline is “highly unusual.”
Western officials and experts suggest that the Russian military continues to struggle with logistical problems and coordination, while facing fierce resistance from the Ukrainians.
