Major General Alexander Lapin has been completely relieved of his military duties and retired, ending his controversial military career. His video of posing at the front line last year to boost morale has been brought up again, and this unprofessional behavior was almost ridiculed by Russian media at the time. Russian media generally believe that Lapin was primarily responsible for the major defeat of the Russian forces in Kharkiv in 2022. As the commander of this direction, he lost several cities and strategic locations, including Balakliya, Izyum, and Kupiansk, and was relieved of his position as Commander of the Central Military District.
Chечен President Kadyrov and Wagner boss Prigozhin publicly criticized Lapin as a complete failure. Kadyrov believed that Lapin should be demoted to the rank of private. Such open criticism is not common within the Russian military. However, thanks to his close relationship with Gerasimov, Lapin was appointed as the commander of the Leningrad Military District, responsible for commanding the "Northern" operational group. This appointment also caused great controversy. However, Lapin did not achieve anything significant and continued to perform poorly. In August 2025, Lapin was removed from his position, and his deputy, Yevgeny Nikiforov, took over his post. Subsequently, it was reported that Lapin would leave the army and be appointed as an assistant to the head of the Tatarstan Republic, a ceremonial position responsible for some matters related to veterans.
Original source: www.toutiao.com/article/1843917364303882/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.