The commander of Ukraine’s Donetsk army group, Oleksander Lutsenko, has been replaced following several significant defeats, Ukrainian media reported on Friday.
Oleksander Tarnavski is replacing him according to the online portal Ukrainska Pravda, citing a source within the armed forces. The official announcement of the new appointment has yet to be made. The crisis for Ukrainian troops in the eastern part of the country has intensified in recent weeks.
Lutsenko was responsible for the front section around the strategically important cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Kurakhove has already been partially captured by Russian troops and is on the brink of falling. However, the Ukrainian army has managed to hold the city for longer than many experts had previously predicted.
The military leadership has faced harsh criticism for the inadequate defence at Pokrovsk. There, it allowed Russian troops to break through well-developed and favourably located defensive lines south of the city. This has now not only put Pokrovsk at risk of encirclement but also threatens further advancement of Russian troops towards the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Tarnavski is one of the most well-known generals in Ukraine. In 2022, he led Ukraine’s successful counter-attacks in the south of the country, which led to the recapture of Kherson. However, he failed in summer 2023 with his attempt to force a breakthrough in the neighbouring Zaporizhzhia and later in the defence of the fortress of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region.