Russia general who reportedly served as the top commander for Ukraine last year has died

A Russian general who reportedly held the position of the top military commander in Ukraine last year has passed away, as indicated by Russian state media.

Gennady Zhidko, an Army General, passed away at the age of 58 "after a prolonged illness" on Wednesday, according to the state news agency TASS.

Between May and October of last year, Zhidko served as the Commander of Russia's Eastern Military District. He was said to have been the overall theater commander in Ukraine during Moscow's offensive against Lysychansk and Severodonetsk in the summer of 2022.

The governor of Russia's Khabarovsk territory, Mikhail Degtyarev, was the first to announce Zhidko's death on Telegram. He described Zhidko as a man who was attentive to the needs of ordinary soldiers and had high expectations of service.

As of now, there has been no official confirmation of Zhidko's death. His TASS biography does not mention his time as a commander in Ukraine.

According to the investigative group Conflict Intelligence Team, Zhidko reportedly assumed leadership of Russian forces in Ukraine after Moscow's failed attempt to capture Kyiv in the spring of the same year. His appointment was not officially confirmed, but in June 2022, he was seen alongside Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a visit to forces involved in the war in Ukraine.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), based in Washington, noted that Zhidko's appointment was a significant move, given that he was a political officer rather than a unit commander responsible for leading troops. His previous role involved overseeing ideological indoctrination and morale within Russia's military.

Zhidko had previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria and received the Hero of the Russian Federation award, Russia's highest honor.

According to ISW, Zhidko was relieved of his duties as the theater commander and head of the Eastern Military District in October, following Ukraine's swift territorial gains during the Kharkiv counteroffensive.

In October 2022, Russia's Ministry of Defense appointed General Sergey Surovikin as the new overall commander for operations in the ongoing war. However, Surovikin has not been seen in public since the short-lived Wagner rebellion in June.