In February 2023, Russian columns one after another entered minefields near Vuhledar and became targets for artillery. The operation was commanded by Rustam Muradov, commander of the Eastern Military District. A few weeks later, he was removed from his post. It seemed like a rare instance where a public military failure actually resulted in a personnel decision.

But in the summer of 2026, Muradov returned to a position with an almost symbolic title: Head of the Main Directorate for Combat Training of the Russian Armed Forces. The general, whose name is associated with one of the most infamous routs of Russian armored columns, was entrusted with determining how the army should prepare for war.

Pavlivka: The Naval Infantry Letter

The first major scandal erupted in November 2022. Servicemen of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade appealed to the governor of Primorye, stating that during four days of offensive operations on Pavlivka, they lost approximately 300 personnel killed, wounded, and missing in action, as well as half of their equipment. They directly named Muradov and brigade commander Sukhrob Akhmedov as responsible for the poorly prepared attacks.

The Russian Ministry of Defense denied the catastrophic scale of losses, but the mere appearance of a collective letter from an elite brigade was unusual. The naval infantry claimed they were sent forward for the sake of a favorable report to higher command. There were no consequences for the senior commanders at that time.

Vuhledar: Columns in Open Terrain

In early 2023, the attempt to capture Vuhledar repeated the same logic on a larger scale. Armored vehicles moved along narrow routes across open terrain. Vehicles detonated mines, blocked passage, and made it easier to target subsequent ones. Videos of destroyed columns became one of the most vivid testimonies to the tactical incompetence of the Russian command.

Exact human losses remain a subject of dispute: Ukrainian estimates, reports from Russian channels, and independently confirmed data vary. However, dozens of lost tanks and armored vehicles have been visually documented. Even pro-war authors accused the command of repeating the same mistake and demanded Muradov take the city at any cost to justify previous decisions.

Promotion Amidst Rout

On February 17, 2023, when the consequences of the unsuccessful attacks were already being publicly discussed, Vladimir Putin awarded Muradov the rank of Colonel General. In April, sources within the Ministry of Defense reported his removal from the post of commander of the Eastern Military District. The official reason was not explained in detail, but the personnel decision was linked specifically to Vuhledar.

The resignation turned out to be a pause, not the end of his career. In 2024, Muradov returned to the high-ranking position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces. In June 2026, a new appointment followed — to lead the combat training of the entire army.

What Muradov's Career Teaches

Muradov's story reveals the mechanism of the Russian command system. A battlefield failure can cause a public scandal and temporary removal, but it does not necessarily close the path upward. Loyalty and belonging to the higher officer corps prove more enduring than the memory of losses.

Pavlivka yielded a letter detailing hundreds of losses. Vuhledar provided kilometers of footage of burned equipment. His removal seemed like an admission of error. However, the outcome was different: the man who commanded these operations is now responsible for preparing the entire Russian army for future operations.