Russian Commander Who Decided on Kherson Withdrawal Faces Intensified Pressure for Explanation... Will He Be Replaced Again?

Pro-Kim Putin Forces Resist... Urged to Launch Counteroffensive
Four Commanders Already Dismissed... Military Dissatisfaction Accumulates

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] In Russian politics, criticism has been pouring in against Sergey Surovikin, the Russian Supreme Commander who recently decided to withdraw troops from Ukraine's Kherson region, increasing pressure to explain the withdrawal decision. Some voices are even calling for his dismissal, while pressure is mounting among pro-Putin forces to launch a counterattack quickly.

However, with four commanders already dismissed amid criticism from pro-Putin factions and worsening domestic public opinion, if the Russian military replaces another commander, massive damage is expected. As dissatisfaction within the military grows due to repeated dismissals of commanders following criticism from non-military experts, it is anticipated that the Russian military will find it even more difficult to conduct efficient operations.

Putin’s Closest Allies: "Withdrawal is Wrong... Must Counterattack Quickly"

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On the 21st (local time), Alexander Dugin, known as Vladimir Putin’s political mentor and nationalist political philosopher, stated in an interview with the Russian media Tsargrad, "I firmly oppose Commander Surovikin’s withdrawal operation. We have reached our limit," adding, "Kherson is the last territory we can afford to give up." He strongly opposed any further withdrawal operations.

According to major foreign media, Russia’s well-known military bloggers have been posting criticism of Commander Surovikin on social media and various platforms, expressing confusion over the reasons for the Kherson withdrawal. Criticism includes accusations of passively allowing Ukraine to easily capture the key strategic point of Kherson and calls for a swift counterattack.

However, the Russian military continues to shrink the front lines across Kherson region, retreating eastward. According to the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Russian forces have not only withdrawn from Kherson city but have almost completely pulled back from the western bank of the Dnipro River, and are reportedly considering withdrawal from the eastern part of Kherson region depending on the situation.

Commander Surovikin: "Maintaining the Frontline is Difficult... Must Protect Soldiers’ Lives"

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Commander Surovikin, who has been criticized for the withdrawal operation, has indicated his intention to continue retreating from the front lines as necessary even after ordering the withdrawal on the 9th.

According to CNN, Commander Surovikin recently stated at a press conference, "From August to October, there were 9,500 Ukrainian military casualties in Kherson. Russian losses were about one-eighth of that," adding, "If we had not withdrawn from Kherson, thousands of lives could have been lost." He explained, "The Russian military was defending fairly well, but the Ukrainian forces launched full-scale offensives despite their own casualties, making it difficult to maintain the front line."

President Putin is reportedly respecting Commander Surovikin’s decision for the time being. Having participated in battles in Chechnya and Syria, Surovikin has been favored by President Putin and is nicknamed the "Armageddon General" in Russia due to his ruthless operational style.

Four Commanders Already Dismissed... Concerns Over Command System Confusion

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Voices criticizing Commander Surovikin and calling for the recapture of Kherson region are growing both inside and outside the Russian government, prolonging President Putin’s dilemma. Within the Russian military, it is currently difficult to stop the advancing Ukrainian forces with insufficient strength, and it is expected to be difficult to retake Kherson region in the near future.

According to The New York Times (NYT), although the Russian military has succeeded in mobilizing up to 300,000 reservists through a recent partial mobilization order, it is difficult to overcome the power deficit until their training is completed around February to March next year. The Ukrainian military is estimated to have about 500,000 troops, including regular forces and conscripts, while the Russian military has been reduced to around 100,000 troops after losing more than 80,000 soldiers from an initial 150,000 to 180,000 at the start of the war.

Although calls for Commander Surovikin’s dismissal are increasing, concerns are also rising that replacing another commander after four commanders have already been dismissed on the Ukrainian front will cause severe confusion in the command system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.