The commander of the Ukrainian Army Group Donetsk, Oleksander Lutsenko, has been replaced after several significant defeats, Ukrainian media reported on Friday.
Oleksander Tarnavski will replace 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 forces 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 verge of falling. However, the Ukrainian army has managed to hold the city for longer than many experts previously predicted.
The military leadership has come under harsh criticism for inadequate defenses at Pokrovsk. There, Russian troops were able to break through well-developed and conveniently located defense lines south of the city. This has not only put Pokrovsk at risk of encirclement, but also threatens the further advance of Russian troops towards the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Tarnavski is one of the best-known generals in Ukraine. In 2022, he led Ukraine’s successful counterattacks in the south of the country, which led to the recapture of Kherson. However, in the summer of 2023, he failed in his attempt to force a breakthrough in neighboring Zaporizhia and later in the defense of the Avdiivka fortress in the Donetsk region.
