Oleksandr Chirsky, 59, was the commander of the advancing armed forces in the Russian region of Kurz, an unprecedented maneuver in the war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 22, 2022.
The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk was Russia’s largest land grab since World War II, with Ukraine, according to the leader, already occupying 1,263 square kilometers of Russian territory, displacing more than 122,000 people from Russia’s border areas.
Appointed head of the army in February, Chirsky was born and educated in Russia (then part of the Soviet Union), joined the Red Army, and was then posted to Ukraine in the 1980s, where he lived after the fall. The Eastern Bloc and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
After Ukraine’s independence, the general studied at the National Defense University and joined the Ukrainian National Army, where he had already gained extensive experience since the beginning of the conflict in 2014, currently fighting pro-Russian forces in Donetsk in the region.
The soldier, according to AFP, continues to have some ties to Russia, with close family still living in the country, including his parents and brother.
In 2022, Chirsky led ground forces against Russia in the First Defense. Later that year, Gen He also presided Counter attack In the Kharkiv region, it is necessary to restore territory in that eastern part of Ukraine. After managing to defend the Ukrainian capital, Chirsky was also awarded the Hero of Ukraine award by Zelensky.
By early 2024, it was Appointed general of the Ukrainian army, after Valery Zalushny, a popular soldier, he clashed with Zelensky because he believed the frontline had reached a stalemate, which the president rejected.
In 2022, interview Economist At a time when Zaluzhny’s popularity has caused mistrust among Zelensky’s allies over possible political ambitions, Syrsky stepped aside, saying “the military has left politics.” “Chyrsky is not good at political games,” highlighted a source close to the contact EconomistHe added, “He is a warrior.”
“The Butcher”
According to AFP, Oleksandr Chirsky, known for his ruthless style, was accused of having “Soviet”-style leadership at the front, unconcerned about the high number of casualties among his own soldiers. The general received criticism for this reason in the defense of the city of Baghmut, which caused heavy losses among Ukrainian soldiers, earning him the nickname “the butcher”.
“He is very offended by this nickname. It is completely untrue,” said an unidentified military source who spoke to AFP, highlighting the commander-in-chief’s concern for his soldiers.
According to EconomistThe invasion of Kursk came amid strong internal and external pressure, both from military losses on the Eastern Front, near the Donets, and external pressure, with elections in the United States approaching.
According to another Ukrainian military source contacted by AFP, the general played “an important role” in the operation, which is “undeniable”. “The fact that he was able to formulate and execute this operation under very difficult circumstances is proof that he is an important military figure,” the source added.
“General Chirsky’s big gamble gives Ukrainians hope after a year of continuous bleak news,” it says. Economist.