Russian colonel-general Mykhailo Mizintsev, who was nicknamed the “Butcher of Mariupol” because of the actions taken to capture the port city, was dismissed from the post of deputy minister of defense, Reuters reports with reference to Russian sources.

Mizintsev organized a siege of the port city on the Sea of ​​Azov in the first months of the war, and then was appointed deputy minister of defense for logistics and supplies in September.

The European Union called him the “butcher of Mariupol” when it announced sanctions against him last June, saying he was responsible for the “inhumane” siege that completely destroyed one of Ukraine’s largest cities.

Oleksandr Sladkov, one of Russia’s most famous military bloggers, and RBC, Russia’s largest financial channel, announced his removal from the post on Tuesday. However, neither Sladkov nor RBC explained the reason for the general’s dismissal.

One possibility is that he was fired because of problems reported by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner’s mercenaries, regarding the supply of ammunition to his units.

Prigozhin sharply blamed the situation, even suggesting that they would be guilty of treason against the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov, but Mizintsev was hierarchically responsible for organizing supplies for the Russian military forces.

Before his appointment as Deputy Shoigu, Mizintsev headed the National Defense Management Center, and from this position he managed the siege of Mariupol.

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