A good year after the official invasion of Russian troops, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed a high-ranking commander in eastern Donbass. According to a decree by Zelensky, Eduard Moskalyov would be stripped of his post as commander of the armed forces. A reason was not initially given.

Moskalyov had held the post since March 2022, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine ordered by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

The fighting in eastern Ukraine is currently among the fiercest in the entire country. For weeks, extremely bloody and costly battles have been raging around the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region in particular. Also with the help of Western weapons, the attacked Ukraine is planning a counter-offensive to liberate occupied areas this spring.