-kfVD--1024x512@abc.jpg "Gennady Zhidko, a Russian high command dismissed for his setbacks in Ukraine, dies at 57")
the colonel general Gennady Zhidko He died this Wednesday at the age of 57 in Moscow, as announced by a Russian regional governor on Telegram and collected by ‘Newsweek’.
Zhidko was named ‘Hero of the Russian Federation’ for his role in the high command of Russian troops in Syria in 2017 and, from May to October 2022, he was the commander of Russian troops in Ukraine.
The also former Russian Defense Minister has died “after a long illness”as reported by Mikhail Degtyarev, Governor of Khabarovsk Krai.
Zhidko replaced in Ukraine Alexander Dvornikov, known as ‘the butcher of Syria’, and was replaced in October 2022 by General Sergey Surovikin, nicknamed ‘General Armaggedon’, after several fiascoes against the Ukrainian resistance and coinciding with some Kiev successes in Jerson and Kharkov.
However, Surovikin also fell out of favor with Putin and his fallout has deepened with his alleged involvement in the Wagner Group’s attempted rebellion against Moscow last June.
Brilliant career ending in ostracism
Of Uzbek origin, Gennady Zhidko was born in 1965 and graduated from the Tashkent Higher Armored Infantry School in 1987.
In his career he went through almost all the basic positions from commander of an armored platoon to chief of the General Staff.
In addition to his commands on the Syrian and Ukrainian fronts, Zhidko stood out for directing mobilization and propaganda campaigns to mobilize recruitment for the Army. Throughout his career he received several medals and awards.
Some analysts regarded it as a “political mind” within the Army, although his ability was not enough for him not to fall into disgrace and die in ostracism.