The key facts
- On October 20 in the Oval Office, Trump blamed an unnamed Russian general for the failed advance on Kyiv due to leaving the concrete highway.
- BBC: the advance was led by Colonel General Alexander Chaiko; the column was stopped by Ukrainian forces.
- In February 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces blew up the bridge over the Irpin and the Kozarovychi dam, and also destroyed a column of equipment in Bucha.
Trump's statement
US President Donald Trump, who before coming to power promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours, on October 20, during a meeting with journalists at the White House, once again recalled the first days of the full-scale invasion. According to him, a 'very stupid general' — 'I don't know who he is, and I doubt he's alive' — instead of continuing to move along the concrete highway, turned toward Kyiv across the fields, as a result of which thousands of tanks got stuck in the mud. Trump regularly returns to this topic, changing the details each time.
BBC fact-check
The Russian Service of the BBC examined Trump's words and concluded that the Russian advance on Kyiv from Belarus in February 2022 was led by Colonel General Alexander Chaiko. According to the outlet, the failure of the advance was not connected with the decision to leave the main road.
What happened in February 2022
The advance on Kyiv was stopped by Ukrainian forces. On February 26, 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces blew up the bridge over the Irpin River near the capital, and when Russian troops tried to bypass the water obstacle, the Kozarovychi dam was destroyed. In addition, Ukrainian forces destroyed a column of Russian armored vehicles that had accumulated in Bucha. The Russian army suffered serious losses, and the command had to bring in additional forces from Belarus.
Chaiko's fate
After the failure of the advance, Chaiko was removed from command and sent to lead the Russian contingent in Syria. He remained there until June 2025, when a coup took place in the country: President Bashar Assad lost power and fled to Moscow.
