Putin Fires Commanders For Failures And Cover-Ups

VLADIMIR Putin has sacked two leading commanders as a "culture of cover-ups and scapegoating" takes a grip of his military, British defence chiefs revealed yesterday.

- Michael Knowles

Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, chief of the Black Sea Fleet, and Lt Gen Serhiy Kisel, who led the elite 1st Guards Tank Army, suspended, the MoD said. Russian have been generals are now "increasingly distracted" by trying to avoid blame for Russia's failed invasion of Ukraine.

Putin had to drop plans to seize the capital Kyiv after his forces ran out of food and fuel. Russia is thought unlikely to regain the initiative as its generals are so keen to avoid blame, they defer decisions.

Osipov was humiliated Ukraine sank his flagship the Moskva and Kisel failed to capture Kharkiv when months of heavy bombardment failed to break its defenders.

Distracted