Soon to be Deputy Secretary of Defense
Putin gives “Butcher of Mariupol” new post
09/24/2022, 1:40 p.m
Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev has already made a name for himself: as the “Butcher of Mariupol” he is said to be responsible for the heavy attacks on the Ukrainian port city. He is now replacing Dmitri Bulgakov as Deputy Defense Minister.
Exactly seven months after the start of the war against Ukraine, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov has been removed from office in Russia. Officially, the Ministry of Defense justified the step in a statement with Bulgakov’s transfer “to another post”. His successor is to be Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who previously headed the national center for defense management. In the future he will be responsible in particular for the logistics of the army.
Mizintsev is also known abroad: he was held responsible for the heavy attacks on the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which was captured by the Russians at the end of May. According to Ukrainian sources, thousands of civilians were killed and much of the city was destroyed during the week-long siege. Misintsev, also known as the “Butcher of Mariupol,” is therefore on a sanctions list in Great Britain.
After recent defeats, Russia’s military leadership around Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has recently come under criticism, including in circles close to the Kremlin. Under pressure from Ukrainian counter-offensives, the Russian army had to withdraw from the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv about two weeks ago. Last Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of his armed forces.