Bulgakov was removed from the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia
Dmitry Bulgakov has been removed as Russia's deputy defense minister. This information has been confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is said that he has been posted to another post. However, it was not said in which post he was appointed. It is not yet clear why he was removed.
Russia started military operations in Ukraine in February this year. The operation continued for about seven months after that. Through this operation, Russia has occupied almost one-fifth of the territory of Ukraine.
However, recently, in the face of Ukraine's counter-offensive, Russia was forced to withdraw its troops from the important battlefield in Izium in the northeastern province of Kharkiv.
Reserve forces recruitment process has started for new deployment of troops in Ukraine. In the meantime, Russia has announced a reshuffle in the top positions of the Ministry of Defense.
According to a report by Radio Free Asia, Bulgakov has been replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizhintsev. Mizintsev previously headed the National Defense Control Center of Russia.
Mizintsev is one of the most important commanders of Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine. It was under his leadership that Russian forces captured the southern port city of Ukraine, Mariupol, at the end of May.
Meanwhile, referendums continue in four Russian-held regions of Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatist leaders of the regions organized referendums to join the territory of Russia.
Voting began on Friday (September 23) in Ukraine's eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk and southern Kherson and Zaporizhia, and will continue until Tuesday (September 27).
Russian news agency TAM reported 23.6 percent of the vote in the Donetsk region on Friday, citing local officials. News agency Interfax reported that 20.5 percent of voters in Zaporizhia and 15 percent in Kherson voted.
