Russian military bloggers report sacking of Kremlin's top commander in Syria

Moscow’s military intervention on behalf of Assad’s government was instrumental to the country’s longtime ruler’s successful reclamation of most Syrian territory in the late 2010s.

By THE MEDIA LINE STAFF DECEMBER 2, 2024 21:51

RUSSIAN FOREIGN Minister Sergei Lavrov and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen meet in Moscow in February. Since 2015, Israel has shared a de facto border with Russia. (photo credit: RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY/REUTERS)

Russia has reportedly dismissed the general overseeing its forces in Syria following a rebel offensive that seized parts of Aleppo, war bloggers linked to Russia’s defense ministry reported Sunday.  

Reuters first covered the reports from the Rybar Telegram channel and the Voenny Osvedomitel (Military Informant) blog. However, the Russian defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment. 

The posts suggest that Col. Gen. Alexander Chaiko is replacing Lt. Gen. Sergei Kisel, who oversees Russian troops in Syria. Kisel had previously commanded the Kremlin's forces in the war-torn Kharkiv region of Ukraine, where he oversaw a humiliating defeat and routing by Ukrainian forces in 2022. 

The flags of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia (illustrative) (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Criticism for Kisel

Voenny Osvedomitel mocked Kisel’s performance, remarking that “apparently he was supposed to reveal his hidden talents in Syria, but something got in the way again.”  

The Rybar channel also criticized the use of Syria as a “sandbox for laundering the reputations of unsuccessful generals” while hinting that Russia might bring back Sergei Surovikin.  

While Surovikin was demoted from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces last year amid reports linking him to the Wagner mutiny, he is widely credited with turning the tide in the Syrian conflict.  

Moscow’s military intervention on behalf of Assad’s government was instrumental to the country’s longtime ruler’s successful reclamation of most Syrian territory in the late 2010s. Aleppo, a key battleground in the war and Syria’s most populous city leading up to the 2011 uprisings had been under government control since its fall to Russian-backed forces in 2016.