Russian General Staff Chief rumored to support withdrawal from Tokmak amidst heavy losses Sunday, October 1
Russian Telegram channel the Kremlin's Tobacco Box claims that the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, is planning to withdraw troops from the city of Tokmak due to heavy losses. In the coming month, the Russian army may possibly make a "gesture of goodwill" on the Zaporizhzhia front by fleeing from Tokmak. The channel assures that the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, allegedly supports this scenario. According to its information, not everyone in the Russian General Staff supports the withdrawal of troops from Tokmak, which is being approached by Ukrainian forces. However, Gerasimov supposedly believes that within the next few weeks, these individuals will change their position due to the enormous losses that the Russian army is suffering in its attempt to maintain control of the aforementioned area.
"Conflict within the General Staff continues regarding whether our troops should be withdrawn from Tokmak. At the moment, according to information from three sources in the General Staff, opponents of such a decision are prevailing. And Valery Gerasimov is prepared to 'temporarily accept' the fact that we will not be leaving the city for the time being," writes Z-channel, citing sources in the Russian General Staff. According to its information, Gerasimov supposedly intends to revisit this issue in 2-3 weeks when the significant losses suffered by the Russian army in this combat zone will force those generals who currently oppose the retreat to reconsider.
"The forecasts of the Chief of the General Staff regarding the defense of Tokmak 'remain bleak'. In a recent conversation with several colleagues, Gerasimov said that the generals who do not want to retreat are likely to 'come to their senses when we have 10,000 dead and crippled soldiers'. According to the head of the General Staff, despite this, it will still be necessary to retreat from Tokmak, but it will be more difficult to hold onto Melitopol and several other important cities," writes the Russian channel.
According to its information, the statement about the 10,000 casualties is not a figure of speech or an exaggeration.
"The enemy has gathered such forces that we could lose even more people. And we could lose them in just three weeks to a month," the channel writes.
There are currently no signs of the Russians preparing to retreat from Tokmak, which has strategic importance in maintaining the land corridor to Crimea as a logistical hub. On the contrary, Russian forces are mobilizing all available reserves to this area in an attempt to halt the counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Currently, Ukrainian forces are approximately 20 kilometers away from the city.
Definitely makes sense. They know they can't count on the Kerch bridge being there. Still, with the heavy fortifications they've got around Tokmak, it feels premature to abandon it. I welcome it, of course, but it really feels like a lynch pin.