A high-ranking general under Putin is battling for his life following a severe Ukrainian assault that destroyed a Russian convoy in Kursk, reportedly leaving him with critical injuries and necessitating several amputations.
Lt-Gen Esedulla Abachev, aged 57, was targeted on the Rylsk–Khomutovka highway within the Kursk area early on Saturday, as reported by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR).
This highly decorated officer, serving as the deputy commander of Russia’s North Group of Forces, was swiftly airlifted to the Vishnevsky Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, where surgeons amputated both an arm and a leg, according to the Kyiv Post.
A pro-Moscow source admitted: “He is alive, but in serious condition [after] traumatic amputation of the arm and part of the leg.”
A day prior, Ukrainian forces had also destroyed an ammunition depot in the occupied city of Melitopol, resulting in the deaths of marines and members of Ramzan Kadyrov’s infamous “Akhmat-Vostok” Chechen unit.
HUR gloated: “There will be just retribution for every war crime against the Ukrainian people.”
Bloody track record
Abachev has been at the heart of nearly every Kremlin war in recent decades.
Abachev graduated from the Kharkiv Higher Tank Command School in 1989, and has participated in several conflicts including the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the Second Chechen War, Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, and the military campaign in Syria.
“For each of these ‘bloody feats,’ Abachev was personally awarded the Order of Courage by Putin,” reported evocation.info.
Since 2022, Abachev has been significantly involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, commanding the 2nd Army Corps for the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic.”
Ukrainian sources accuse him of war crimes against civilians in Lysychansk.
Putin himself previously decorated Abachev with the Hero of Russia – Gold Star for “courage and heroism.”
He also received an award from occupied Luhansk for his role in the bloody takeover.
In August last year, amid surging Ukrainian cross-border operations, he was appointed commander of Russia’s border-cover group in the Kursk direction – where he was now taken out.
Humiliating blows
The strike on Abachev is just the latest in a string of humiliating Ukrainian hits on Putin’s top brass.
Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gudkov – Russia’s Deputy Navy Chief and another Hero of Russia – was killed in July during a suspected HIMARS strike on a command post in Kursk.
In April, Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik was eliminated near Moscow.
Ukrainian Telegram channels have already circulated footage allegedly showing the burning wrecks of the Russian convoy in Kursk after Abachev’s column was smashed.
The attack comes as Kremlin forces in Kursk push to seize territory across the border – with Zelensky facing mounting pressure to concede ground to Putin to secure a peace deal.
Analysts say Kyiv is intensifying strikes on senior commanders to weaken Moscow’s chain of command and sap morale on the frontline.
Each successful hit is seen as both a psychological and tactical blow for Putin’s faltering war machine.
Has the Alaska summit helped broker a peace deal?
AS Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin both flew out of Alaska on Friday it appeared as though the summit was an utter failure in the eyes of Ukraine.
There had been no agreements on a peace deal as Trump appeared to be hesitant to truly reveal what demands Putin was making.
But a few hours after the meeting ended Trump took to social media to reveal the meeting was a success in his eyes.
Trump said Russia and Ukraine both believe a full peace deal is “the best way” to end the war – rather than a short term ceasefire.
Now diplomatic sources have revealed some of the initial details of the potential agreement, according to news agency AFP.
The US has reportedly proposed an agreement that would see Ukraine not join Nato – but instead be offered Nato-esque protections similar to Article 5.
Article 5 on Nato’s founding treaty agrees collective defense – meaning allies see an attack on one as an attack on all of them.
Trump reportedly floated the plan with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders during a call after his meeting with Putin.
The US President is set to discuss the terms of an agreement with Zelensky on Monday when he travels to the White House.
Zelensky did not directly address any potential plan but he did say on X: “We discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing security for Ukraine.”
