The Russian general who led the Ukrainian invasion until he was purged by Putin is found dead
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A leading Russian general purged by Vladimir Putin has been found dead.
Colonel General Gennady Zhidko, 58, died after a “prolonged illness” on August 16, 2023, according to Russian online news outlet Readovka.
Zhidko briefly led the invasion of Ukraine as commander of the southern forces before giving way to General Sergei “Armageddon” Surovikin in October.
The 58-year-old also served as Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria in 2016 and was appointed commander of the Eastern Military District in 2018.
The senior official – who was awarded the highest honorary title, the Hero of Russia, for his services in 2017 – later became deputy defense minister in 2021.
Gennady Zhidko, Hero of Russia and commander of the Eastern Military District in 2022, died at the age of 58
He was ousted in October 2022 as commander of Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine after the city of Kharkov was not taken.
Zhidko has been in charge since April after taking over from deposed general Alexander Dvornikov, dubbed the “butcher of Syria.”
This led to Western sanctions against Zhidko.
Surovikin, who replaced him, was later demoted from his position by Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
Surovikin remained his deputy but was allegedly detained in June on suspicion that he was aware of plans for a coup against Putin’s regime by Wagner chief mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin.
There has been little to see of Zhidko in recent months.
His death was confirmed by the loyalist governor of the Khabarovsk region, Mikhail Degtyarev, who expressed his condolences, but there was no official announcement.
The reports did not say where Zhidko died.
The commander was considered one of the best military brains in Russia.