Putin’s purges: Apparently another general who fired Lindemann causes a stir at a concert with altered lyrics

Another commander has apparently been fired in Russia – probably because he complained about conditions in the army. After Major General Ivan Popov, popular with his troops, was hit a few days ago, the commander of the 106th Airborne Division was also reportedly deposed, British media and Russian bloggers report. Major General Vladimir Seliverstow was deployed with his units in Bakhmut, among other places. The background is still unclear, an official confirmation is still pending.

Russian military bloggers suspect that Seliverstow stood in front of his soldiers. The military blogger “Milinfolive” reported on Telegram that he already disagreed with the decisions of the military leadership during the attacks on Kiev. According to him, the Major General was once awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland.

As the American Institute for the Studies of War reports in its analysis, there were already signs of complaints from the airborne troops in April. Relatives of the soldiers have contacted President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The reports of the circumstances (…) could have prompted Seliverstow to file a complaint with the Russian military leadership, which could have led to his resignation,” analysts at the US think tank suspect.

The measure could be part of a purge by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. According to the analysts, it is a sign of the deterioration of the Russian command structure. Major General Ivan Popov was recently removed from office for allegedly taking his concerns directly to the Russian President, bypassing the General Staff. In a leaked audio message, he complained that the troops at the front were not being changed often enough and that there were heavy casualties. It is unclear whether Alexander Kornew was removed from office alongside Seliverstow. He is the commander of an elite force that also belongs to the Airborne Forces.

The infamous “General Armageddon”, Sergey Surovikin, has not been seen for 20 days – he is said to be an ally of Prigozhin. Another casualty was Major General Nikolay Gostev – commander of Russia’s 4th Air Force Army – who was relieved, at least temporarily, of his post in the aftermath of Ukraine’s counter-offensive. According to official statements, he is currently “resting”.

According to a report by Britain’s Daily Mail, the firings are part of a wave of purges by Russia’s Defense Ministry that are sacking or transferring key commanders. Seliverstow, 49, would be one of the youngest generals to lead the 106th Airborne Division. Even the support of a bodyguard of Putin, who allegedly stood up for the general, did not help, according to the Daily Mail.

The ISW concluded that Popov’s criticism is indicative of a pattern of behavior that had developed within the Russian command in Ukraine. Commanders apparently tried to challenge the authority of senior officers. They used their important position on the frontline to gain support in the Kremlin – which turns out to be a misconception.

According to the ISW, the problems in Ukraine and the decisions of the top Russian military leadership are one reason why some commanders tried to challenge their superiors – and put themselves in front of their own units.

Similar criticism was leveled by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, which eventually led to an uprising at the end of June. He had marched his troops to Moscow. His main demands were the impeachment of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. Both are still in office.

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