Brigadier General Serhiy Sirchenko has been officially relieved of his duties as the commander of the 11th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The press service of the military unit confirmed the dismissal on Saturday, April 11. This significant personnel shift in the higher military echelon comes amid an exceptionally difficult operational situation on the eastern front line, where Ukrainian defenders continue to repel massive enemy assaults.
Following the announcement, General Sirchenko took to Facebook to address his dismissal and express his gratitude to his subordinates for their dedication during his tenure. In an emotional and candid statement, he reflected on his leadership over the past year and a half.
“Almost 500 days in office. Not in the deep rear. Not merely on paper. We were on the frontline together. Together with each of you, on one of the most fiercely contested sectors of this war. I know I was not a perfect commander. After all, there are no perfect people in war. There were times when I pushed too hard. I made mistakes. I stayed silent when I should have spoken up. But there is one thing I know for certain: I never hid behind your backs,” Sirchenko emphasized.
According to a report by Ukrainska Pravda, which cited sources among military personnel within the 11th Army Corps’ zone of responsibility, a primary catalyst for Sirchenko’s removal was the loss of Siversk, a town in the Donetsk region. Russian invasion forces managed to capture the settlement by taking tactical advantage of severe weather conditions, particularly the thick fogs that blanketed the Donetsk region in November and December 2025.
The fall of Siversk has been a major point of contention within the military leadership. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially acknowledged the retreat from Siversk on December 23. The situation was further complicated by issues of military reporting. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, later revealed that certain local commanders had provided the higher command with inaccurate and overly optimistic information regarding the defense of Siversk.
Syrskyi stressed that delivering false reports severely undermines operational planning and endangers soldiers’ lives. He confirmed that strict disciplinary measures had been taken against those responsible for distorting the reality on the ground. The dismissal of General Sirchenko appears to be a direct consequence of this push for greater accountability, transparency, and operational efficiency within the ranks of the Ukrainian military as it navigates one of the most grueling phases of the ongoing war.