According to U.S. officials, General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian military, made a visit to front-line positions in the Izyum area in the Kharkiv region in an effort to “change the course” of Russia’s flagging offensive there.

The New York Times informs about this.

It is said that Gerasimov arrived in Ukraine at the end of last week.

He was at the Russian base located in School No. 12 in the Russian-controlled city of Izyum but returned to Russia on April 30.

The Defense Forces of Ukraine attacked the invader positions at the school. Thus, approximately 200 soldiers, including at least one general, were killed, said the Ukrainian official.

U.S. officials confirmed that General Gerasimov had been in Izyum for the past couple of days, but had no information about the attack on the Russian base.

At the same time, they note that the presence of such a high-ranking official on the front lines comes amid what Western military analysts describe as increasing disarray within Russian forces.

Even with dramatically scaled-down objectives, Western officials and analysts are saying that the Russian military continues to struggle with logistical problems and coordination among its troops.

They are simultaneously facing persistently fierce resistance from the Ukrainians.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the invaders are continuing the offensive operations in the directions of Izyum – Barvinkove and Izyum – Slovyansk.

Ukrainian defense forces are effectively destroying the enemy.