Russia has removed a senior general in Ukraine for giving misleading reports about the progress of the war as Defense Minister Andrei Belousov tries to clear out poor commanders.

Axar.az reports that according to Reuters pro-Russian war bloggers and Russian media shared this information.

Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the Southern Grouping, had been removed from his command, though there was no official confirmation.

Russian war bloggers have long complained about the command of the operation around Siversk where they said poorly supported Russian units were thrown into deadly battles for little apparent tactical gain.