Russian authorities have reportedly dismissed Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, commander of the Southern Group of Forces, following allegations that he provided false accounts of battlefield successes in eastern Ukraine.
According to reports, General Anashkin and other commanders misled superiors about territorial gains near the Siversk settlement in the Donetsk region. Pro-war Russian Telegram channels, including prominent sources like Rybar, accused commanders of systematically falsifying reports to claim victories in areas that remained under Ukrainian control.
These allegations came to light after inspections by higher-ranking officials revealed discrepancies between battlefield realities and official reports.
One Telegram post described the scale of the deception, noting that reporters were invited to interview soldiers about purported victories in villages that Russian forces had not actually captured. The post further detailed how false claims led to misguided assaults, such as those near Bilohorivka, a settlement east of Siversk, resulting in unnecessary casualties.
A number of Russian telegram channels claimed yesterday that several commanders from Russia’s 3rd Combined Arms Army were arrested or removed from their positions, including the army’s commander and chief of staff and the commander of the 7th Motorized Rifle Brigade, for lying… pic.twitter.com/NZ9JSUVZBP
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) November 18, 2024
Reports indicate that brigade and battalion commanders under Anashkin’s leadership also faced arrests, demotions, or other disciplinary actions for allegedly lying about battlefield advances.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not publicly confirmed Anashkin’s dismissal, which was described by state-linked sources as part of a “planned rotation.” Units such as the 6th and 123rd Brigades have reportedly undergone leadership changes as investigations into the fabricated reports continue.
