The commander of Ukrainian forces in Donetsk, General Oleksandr Lutsenko, has been dismissed due to several significant defeats, Ukrainian media reported. According to the Ukrainska Pravda portal, he will be replaced by General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, DPA reported.

The appointment has not yet been officially announced in Kiev.

The crisis for Ukrainian forces in the east of the country has intensified in recent weeks. Lutsenko was responsible for the front line of defense around the strategically important towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhovo. The Russian army has already partially occupied Kurakhovo, which is on the verge of falling, although the Ukrainian army managed to defend the city longer than many experts had predicted.

The Ukrainian military leadership has faced sharp criticism for inadequate defenses near Pokrovsk. The Russian army managed to break through the well-fortified defense lines south of the city. As a result, Pokrovsk is threatened with encirclement, as well as further advances by the Russian army towards the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Tarnavsky is one of Ukraine’s most famous generals. He led the successful Ukrainian counterattacks in 2022 in the south of the country, which retook Kherson. However, his attempt to storm Zaporizhia in the summer of 2023 was unsuccessful, as was the defense of the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region.

Earlier, a change of command was also announced for Russian forces in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. The Russian president has appointed Colonel General Andrei Ivaniev as commander of the Vostok Group of Forces, which is leading the offensive in Donbass, Russian and Ukrainian media reported.