'Iron General': Putin hints that Ukraine's top general may be abroad

During a meeting with Russian military correspondents and bloggers, President Vladimir Putin suggested that General Valery Zaluzhny, the commander-in-chief of Kiev’s armed forces, could be outside of Ukraine. Speculation about Zaluzhny’s whereabouts arose after he missed a high-profile NATO meeting and reports claimed he was gravely wounded in a Russian missile strike. While the Ukrainian Defense Ministry denies these allegations, Putin stated that he believes Zaluzhny is abroad, although he admitted that he could be mistaken. The Western media has dubbed Zaluzhny the ‘Iron General’ and he has been a prominent figure in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Uncertainty also surrounds the fate of Kirill Budanov, the head of the Ukrainian military’s Main Intelligence Directorate, who made controversial statements regarding targeting Russians. Putin’s statement was captured in a clip published by Rossiya 1 broadcaster on Sunday. Putin advised the reporters to inquire about Zaluzhny’s whereabouts directly from the general himself but jokingly mentioned that they might need to switch to a foreign language to do so. While the Russian president stated that he believes Zaluzhny is abroad, he acknowledged the possibility of being mistaken. Speculation surrounding Zaluzhny’s location arose when he was absent from a prominent NATO meeting on May 10. The Ukrainian commander-in-chief’s inability to attend in person or via video-link was attributed to the “complex operational situation” in the conflict with Russia, as conveyed by Rob Bauer, the chairman of NATO’s military committee. In a report by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency last month, citing a security source, it was claimed that Zaluzhny had suffered severe injuries in a Russian missile strike near Kherson in early May. While doctors expect the 49-year-old general to survive, the source alleged that he would no longer be able to fulfill his duties as commander. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has dismissed the report suggesting that General Valery Zaluzhny is located outside of Ukraine, labeling it as disinformation propagated by Russia. The ministry maintains that Zaluzhny remains at his workplace. However, only one unverified video featuring the commander-in-chief has surfaced online since the speculation surrounding his whereabouts began. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently shared a photo of Zaluzhny, claiming it was taken during an extraordinary meeting of Ukraine’s Security Council on June 6. Last week, the BBC revealed that their request for an interview with Gen. Zaluzhny had been declined. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.