Putin Awards ‘Hero of Russia’ to ‘Butcher’ General Who Led Troops Into a Bloodbath

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the country’s highest military honor — the title of “Hero of Russia” – to a general that many soldiers say should be held responsible for some of the worst battlefield disasters of the war.

The award went to Lieutenant General Sukhrab Akhmedov, who is currently in charge of Russian forces in the Kursk region near Ukraine’s border.

The announcement came from the head of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov, who praised Akhmedov as a courageous and experienced frontline commander who “never hides behind others.”

But many inside Russia’s own military have a different view.

According to Russian liberal media “Important Stories,” Akhmedov has been criticized for years inside the military for his poor leadership and reckless decisions that have cost hundreds of lives.

Back in December 2022, he was leading the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade when he ordered a series of chaotic attacks on the town of Pavlivka in the Donetsk region.

Within just four days, the brigade lost about 300 soldiers and half of its equipment. Survivors were so angry, they sent formal complaints up the chain of command.

Then, in June 2023, Akhmedov, now commander of the 20th Army, reportedly ordered troops from the 144th Motorized Rifle Division to stand in an open field near Kreminna – just to wait for his arrival.

While they stood there, exposed and unprotected, Ukrainian forces hit them with a HIMARS strike. Around 100 soldiers were killed and 100 more were wounded.

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The backlash inside the army grew louder, and in May 2024, Akhmedov was removed from his post. Many assumed his career was over.

But a few months later, he quietly returned to command a group of Russian forces in the Kursk region. And now, he’s been decorated as one of Russia’s top war heroes.

Not everyone is celebrating.

Roman Alekhin – a pro-Kremlin blogger, Akhmat fighter, and former adviser to the Kursk governor – was among those inside Russia who publicly criticized the general.

He accused Akhmedov of sending glowing but false reports to the Kremlin and refusing to nominate frontline troops for medals, saving the glory for himself and his senior staff.

Alekhin also painted a grim picture of life under Akhmedov’s command: officers drowning in daily paperwork, constant inspections, and pressure to exaggerate battlefield success – even when units lacked basic equipment.

“They want stories of tanks charging ahead,” he wrote, “even if there are no tanks.”