Russia’s top general Sergey Surovikin was demoted after just three months in charge (Picture: AP)

Putin’s top commander in Ukraine who was nicknamed ‘General Armageddon’ has been sacked after just three months in the job.

Sergey Surovikin was replaced by General Valery Gerasimov to run the so-called ‘special operation’.

He was then embarrassingly demoted to serve as one of Gerasimov’s deputies.

It was one of several shake-ups of Moscow’s military leadership following a series of devastating Russian losses.

Surovikin, a notorious war criminal, became the first person to be given sole charge of the invasion campaign in October. 

His failed period in office was marked by the sickening bombardment of Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, as well as Russia’s retreat from the crucial southern city of Kherson.

Before his appointment, Surovikin had led Russian forces in Syria, where he was accused of engaging in a similar civilian bombing campaign in the city of Aleppo.

In 1991, Surovikin spent at least six months in prison after soldiers under his command killed three protesters in Moscow amid a failed coup.

He also received a suspended sentence for illegal arms dealing in 1995, which was later overturned.

Surovikin, pictured with defence minister Sergei Shoigu (R), is a notorious war criminal responsible for Russia’s bombing of Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure in recent months (Picture: AP)

His replacement, Gerasimov, is one of Putin’s closest allies, and one of three key figures credited with masterminding the invasion.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Kremlin said Gerasimov’s appointment constituted a ‘raising of the status of the leadership’ within the military, and was implemented to ‘improve the quality and effectiveness of the management of Russian forces’.

But it has been viewed by many as a political move to manage ongoing tensions between senior figures in charge of the war.

Ever since the war began reports have emerged suggesting there has been a power struggle within the Kremlin.

The military has broadly been divided into two ‘camps’ – the first being the Russian security services, headed by defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the army’s chief of staff.

The other side, broadly viewed as the ‘war party’, is led by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has become an increasingly influential figure on the frontlines.

General Valery Gerasimov (R) is one of Putin’s closest allies (Picture: Getty)

Mr Prigozhin has been a vocal supporter of Surovikin since his appointment, and his demotion is thought to be a way to curb the Wagner faction’s influence.

However, it’s not thought the changes at the top will do much to reverse Russia’s ailing fortunes on the battlefield.

Dara Massicot, a senior researcher at the Rand Corporation, said the Ministry of Defence is ‘demoting their most competent senior commander and replacing him with an incompetent one.’

‘This is a story that has it all: infighting, power struggles, jealousy,’ she tweeted.

She explained that while Surovikin committed no strategic blunders, Shoigu and Gerasimov are to blame for the poor planning of the campaign.

‘They flunked it. They signed off on a secret plan, multiple bad assumptions, didn’t tell the majority of their troops. It led to big casualties and a partially broken force,’ she added.

‘With Gerasimov in charge, if this is indeed permanent, I think the possibility of the Russians asking their tired force to do something that it cannot handle rises exponentially. 

‘Gerasimov didn’t push back in Feb 2022 and won’t do it now. IDK if that is good or bad for Ukraine.’

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Sergey Surovikin was embarrassingly demoted to serve as deputy to his successor.