Russian ex-officer for Putin’s expelling Russian Wagner mercenaries report capture of Soledar – the nightly update without photos

Former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin has intensified his criticism of Moscow’s warfare in Ukraine, according to the US Institute for War Studies (ISW). The former separatist leader has hinted that he supports the impeachment of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Washington-based think tank wrote in its latest report Tuesday night (local time). This is the most direct criticism of Putin by the well-known military blogger to date.

Girkin, however, has reaffirmed his loyalty to the Russian state, softening his allegations. He spoke out against a change of head of state during the war because, in his words, it would lead to a military and civil catastrophe.

Ukraine has put a huge bounty on Girkin’s head

Girkin, who under the pseudonym Igor Strelkov led the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine in 2014, is held responsible, among other things, for the downing of a passenger plane over the Donbass. Ukraine has put a huge bounty on his head for his arrest.

The ex-intelligence officer has criticized Putin for appointing commanders responsible for the frequent failure of Moscow’s offensive war against Ukraine. According to the ISW, his most recent allegations in this regard were the appointment of Russian general Alexander Lapin, who had been criticized after several defeats in the war in Ukraine, as chief of staff of the army forces.

(tononline/dpa)