Paranoid Vladamir Putin has sacked a Russian commander known as the “Butcher of Mariupol” from his duties.

Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev the deputy defence minister for logistics was appointed to the position in late September of 2022.

He is often associated with the bombardment of the southern port city of Mariupol, which Moscow took control of in May 2022.

READ MORE: 'Kamikaze drone' falls in Moscow suburbs loaded with '40lb of explosives'

However, according to Newsweek, he has now been axed from the role amid reports of Russia ’s leader growing paranoid over his inner circle.

The publication added that Ukraine's defence ministry tweeted "Butcher will build a new slaughterhouse," after the news circulated.

Russian war correspondent Alexander Sladkov posted to Telegram claiming that the butcher had been “fired”.

The correspondent for the state-run newspaper Izvestia added: "Mikhail Mizintsev has had an interesting fate this year.”

He also described the commander as a "friend” and claimed Mizintsev had "had no direct relation to the storming of the city" of Mariupol.

It has been reported that Mizintsev will be replaced by Alexei Kuzmenkov, the deputy head of Russia's National Guard.

• 

  Vladimir Putin using 37 private armies to 'wage war beyond military rules'

The publication added that ahead of the defence ministry role, Mizintsev had been head of the National Defense Management Center since December 2014.

On March 31, 2022, Mizintsev was sanctioned by the British government for his "reprehensible" actions in Syria and Ukraine.

A UK government spokesperson said at the time: “Mizintsev is the Chief of the National Defence Command and Control Centre, where all Russian military operations are planned and controlled worldwide.

Keep up to date with all the latest news stories. By signing up for one of Daily Star's free newsletters here.

• 

  Panicking Putin's chef slams dictator for not giving Russian troops any bullets

"Mizintsev is known for using reprehensible tactics, including shelling civilian centres in both Aleppo in 2015-16 and now in Mariupol—where atrocities are being perpetuated against Ukrainian people."

Mizintsev was born in 1962, according to the Kremlin-backed Tass news agency.

Back in April 2022, Mizintsev was a little-known figure who was largely "obscure" and limited to "effectively administrative" roles in Russia's military, The Washington Post reported at the time.

READ NEXT:

• Wagner mercenary ‘doesn’t regret’ brutal hand grenade execution of Ukrainian POWs
• Russian hackers targeting UK with aim to 'disrupt or destroy' critical infrastructure
• Wagner Group boss tells Putin to declare end of 'special military operation'
• Special forces from UK and US 'operating against Putin's troops in Ukraine'
• Wounded Ukrainian soldiers ‘beheaded’ by Russian troops in sickening video

Source: Read Full Article