What Happened
At approximately 1130 EST today, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Oleshchuk announced that his forces carried out a strike on a Russian launch control post. His announcement reads below:
“Thanks to the pilots for the successful combat work against the enemy control point!” This post was accompanied by a video showing the destruction of a motor vessel “Mechanic Pogodin” purportedly being utilized as a mobile command post.
This announcement would have flown under the radar had it not been the social media firestorm which erupted once Ukrainian-linked military accounts began claiming that Russian Airborne Forces Commander Teplinsky was killed in this strike, along with a Russian military blogger dubbed “Thirteenth”.
Mikhail Yuryevich Teplinsky is a Russian colonel general born in Soviet Ukraine who has served as commander of the Russian Airborne Forces since June 2022. He was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 1995.
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Teplinsky’s death was immediately refuted by Russian-linked TG account Rusich_Army. However, the story was picked up by pro-Ukrainian outlet Oboz.UA. Their report reads below:
”In addition, our sources confirm the liquidation of the commander of the airborne forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Mikhail Teplynsky.
As it became known, information about the death of the military officer under the nickname “Thirteenth” (Yegor Guzenko), which his “colleagues” dispersed earlier, was not confirmed. A video appeared on the network where he himself talks about recording it on March 12 at 00:15 (time of the occupying country. – Ed.). According to him, this “throwing” was nothing more than a “special operation to identify GUR agents”.”
The Ukrainian and Russian Ministries of Defense have not made an official comment on the strikes.