The man who temporarily led Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine has died after a long illness, according to a Russian official.

Colonel General Gennady Zhidko took charge of Russia’s “special military operation” in late May 2022, when Russia’s offensive had already started stagnating. 

But his brief tenure was unsettled. Achieving few successes in his early weeks, he was then demoted to leading a military district the following month, according to the Washington Post.

His removal from operations in Ukraine was publicly announced last October, with no reason given.

He had previously been in charge of Russia’s operations in Syria, for which he was awarded the prestigious ‘Hero of Russia’ title in 2017. 

His warfare tactics, which led to significant civilian deaths, led to him being dubbed “The Syrian Butcher” by observers.

Announcing Mr Zhidko’s death on Telegram, the governor of the Khabarovsk region, Mikhail Degtyarev described him as a “simple soldier, and very demanding in service.”