The UK Ministry of Defence says Russian Army-General Valery Gerasimov’s winter offensive to extend control over the Donbas region has failed, leading to tens of thousands of casualties and possibly raising Russian leadership’s concerns about his future as Chief of the General Staff.
The ministry tweeted:
- “On 11 January 2023, Russian Chief of the General Staff (CGS) General Valery Gerasimov took personal command of the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine (Russia’s official designation of its invasion of Ukraine, – Ed.).”
- “Gerasimov’s tenure has been characterised by an effort to launch a general winter offensive with the aim of extending Russian control over the whole of the Donbas region. Eighty days on, it is increasingly apparent that this project has failed.”
- “On several axes across the Donbas front, Russian forces have made only marginal gains at the cost of tens of thousands of casualties, largely squandering its temporary advantage in personnel gained from the autumn’s ‘partial mobilisation’.”
- “After ten years as CGS (Chief of the General Staff, – Ed.), there is a realistic possibility that Gerasimov is pushing the limits of how far Russia’s political leadership will tolerate failure.”
Read also:
- Russia didn’t show capacity to sustain multiple major offensive operations – ISW
- Russian debacle near Vuhledar demonstrates systemic poor training – ISW
- Russo-Ukrainian War. Day 323: Russian Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov to oversee the military campaign in Ukraine
- US warned Ukraine against killing Russian top general Gerasimov. They tried it anyway – NYT
