Sergei Surovikin (56) has been leading Russian troops in Ukraine since mid-October. He is known as Vladimir Putin’s (70) “General Armageddon”. In October, he promised high attack speed and “crush the enemy”.
Although Russia is dropping massive bombs on Ukraine, it has had to retreat in some places. Most recently in the strategically important city of Kherson. In Russia, there is now criticism of Surovikin personally.
Father of the slain Darya Dugina vs Surovikin
The ideologist Alexander Dugin (60), who is close to the Kremlin, clearly opposes the general’s decisions. “The limit has been reached,” Dugin told the online news portal “Tsargrad”. He declares that Kherson is the last piece of Ukrainian territory that Russia can give up.
Dugin, whose daughter Darya († 29) was murdered in August, what Russia interprets as an assassination attempt by Ukraine, is putting pressure on Surovikin. The general is also being urged by some to step up the announced bombing of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Vladimir Solovyov (59), one of the most famous propagandists, said on TV last week according to Reuters: “I appeal to the hero of the Russian army, General Surovikin: comrade general of the army, I ask you to stop the complete destruction .” of the energy infrastructure to complete the Ukrainian Nazi junta.”
Politician clowning
Other state television commentators are also beginning to question the strategies. Maxim Yusin, political commentator for the newspaper Kommersant, says in a talk show that the Russians are not being told the truth about the war.
He complains that Kremlin politicians keep claiming that the Russian army under Surovikin is stronger than it is.
Yusin says: “Even now, against the backdrop of recent developments, people are saying: ‘We will reach the Polish border. We will reach Berlin, the English Channel, Lisbon.’ And now, all over the world and also in our country, the people who say that look like clowns. This clowning is just indecent.”
“What do we shed our blood for?”
Russian miblogger Vladlen Tatarsky was also angry about the withdrawal from Kherson. He is followed by more than half a million on the Telegram news service. Tatarsky is outraged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) was able to walk through Kherson shortly after the withdrawal.
He asks: «Why do we shed our blood? Why can Zelensky come to Kherson in peace?” He believes that you either “need a full-fledged war, or nothing will work.”
Margarita Simonyan (42), the editor-in-chief of the Russian broadcaster RT, turns to Surovikin more tamely. “We are waiting for your brilliant results and praying for you. I pray for you every day.” She wanted the general to ignore the “nonsense” of critics. (EU)