In three weeks of war, Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed more than ten senior Russian officers and even published the list. This was announced by the Ukrainian agency UNIAN, citing the Strategic Communications Department of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In recent days, the New York Times spoke of over 7,000 Russian soldiers dead in the first 20 days of the conflict, in addition to the wounded estimated at between 14 and 21,000. High numbers, especially when compared to the total casualties of much longer wars. To cite an example, in ten years of military operations in Afghanistan, the Russian army’s death toll is estimated at around 50,000 men (LIVE UPDATES – THE SKY TG24 SPECIAL – THE REFUGEE MAP – VIDEOS AND REPORTAGES FROM UKRAINE).
The fallen generals
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According to UNIAN reports, among the Russian senior officers who lost their lives were General Magomed Tushayev, commander of the 141st Motorized Rosguard Regiment; General Vitaly Gerasimov, Deputy Commander of the 41st Army of the Central Military District; General Andrei Kolesnikov, commander of the 29th Army of the Eastern Military District; General Andriy Sukhovetsky, Deputy Commander of the 41st Army of the Central Military District; Oleg Mityaev, commander of the 150th Motor Rifle Division; by Andriy Mordvichev, commander of the 8th General Army of the Southern Quarter Army Guards.
The Death of Russian Generals and the Conditions of the Army
It is unusual for high-ranking generals to die in war. Among the great Western powers, for example the United States, there is only one general who died in war in decades of conflict. This is Harold Greene, who was killed by an Afghan soldier at a British training center in 2014. One of the reasons for the high number of deaths in the high ranks of the Russian armed forces, former defense minister and admiral Giampaolo Di Paolo told AGI, would be the unpreparedness of the less prestigious positions of the Moscow army. “There is less maneuverability, less preparation, especially less leadership and resourcefulness in the lower echelons, and this can bring higher levels of leadership closer to the front lines,” says Di Paola. Since the Russian advance did not go as planned by the Kremlin, “there may have been a need” to “use generals in the battles.” Another explanation could come from the method of attacking the Kiev fighters Front are,” continues Admiral Di Paola, and considering that “the Ukrainian forces often attacked the rear with “hit-and-run” raids, it is therefore reasonable to think that among those they destroyed on various Also set up command posts with their occupiers”.
The Ukrainian special forces
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Ukrainian sources close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reveal that a special intelligence unit is operating on the ground, specifically designed to locate and eliminate high-ranking Russian officers involved in the war. Kyiv, commander Leonardo Tricarico always explains to AGI, counts on the strong capabilities of its special forces. In fact, if the Ukrainian army and navy were considered “not up to the Atlantic Alliance standard” in a recent assessment conducted by the United States and other NATO countries, the same cannot be said for the special forces that “they have this level has largely been reached,” explains Tricarico.