Putin replaced the commander of the air defense after failures in countering drones, he is involved in the atrocities in Bucha

Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced the commander of the Aerospace Forces, which include air defense and missile defense units.

Colonel General Alexander Chaika has been appointed to replace General Viktor Afzalov, who had led the Aerospace Forces since 2023. RBC reported this, citing a source familiar with the situation.

Chaika, 54, is a graduate of the Moscow Suvorov Military School. In the late 2010s, he commanded Russian forces in Syria, and since 2021, he has headed the Eastern Military District.

According to the European Union, Chaika, who has been awarded the title of Hero of Russia, is implicated in the events in Bucha. He led a unit accused of mass killings of civilians near Kyiv. On March 16, 2026, the EU imposed personal sanctions against him.

The decision to replace the leadership of the Aerospace Forces, responsible in particular for air defense, was made following a series of drone attacks that Russian air defenses were unable to effectively repel.

In late March, Russia’s largest oil ports on the Baltic Sea came under drone attack, leading to a halt in exports. In April, attacks on oil facilities within Russia occurred more than 20 times: at least 9 oil refineries were hit, 5 of which halted production.

The port and oil refinery in Tuapse were attacked four times. As a result, tens of thousands of tons of oil and petroleum products were burned; “oil rain” was observed falling over the city, and a fuel oil spill occurred in the sea. On April 30, a similar attack took place in Perm, where Transneft’s storage tanks and the Permnefteorgsintez refinery were struck.

As a reminder, on the night of May 4, a drone struck a building on Mosfilmovskaya Street in Moscow. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the attack and reported that there were no casualties. 

In Tuapse, residents were urged to evacuate following a drone attack (video).

Residents of Tuapse, Russia, are increasingly complaining about the unbearable living conditions in the frontline city. The once-popular resort has turned into an area of environmental disaster and constant danger due to regular explosions at local industrial facilities.