Ukrainian Corps Commander Dismissed After Loss of Siversk

The Ukrainian command has made another personnel change after the loss of the city of Siversk in the Donetsk region. The commander of the 11th Army Corps, Serhiy Sirchenko, has reportedly been dismissed in connection with the developments on the front, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Sirchenko confirmed his departure in a statement, thanking soldiers for almost 500 days of service on the front line. He admitted making mistakes during his command and said he had not always reacted ideally, but stressed that he had never abandoned his subordinates.

The loss of Siversk did not come suddenly. According to Ukrainian sources, Russian forces took advantage of bad weather, particularly dense fog around the turn of the year, which allowed them to advance. Ukrainian troops eventually withdrew to avoid unnecessary losses and maintain combat capability.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi defended the move as a necessary decision in the circumstances.

(pir)