US tried to dissuade Ukraine from killing Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov: Report

Ukraine wanted to assasinate Russia's chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov but US officials tried to stop Ukraine from carrying out an assasination attempt on him, according to a report from New York Times. Valery Gerasimov was evacuated from Ukraine back in May this year, after he suffered shrapnel injury. According to Euroweekly news, Ukraine has admitted that they wanted to assassinate the Russian chief of general staff. An adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office named Oleksiy Arestovych, admitted whilst speaking to journalist Mark Feygin that Ukrainian troops wanted to assasinate Gerasimov when he was on a trip to Izyum. 

“Gerasimov was in Izyum and we were planning to hit him," Oleksiy reportedly said to Mark, during an interview, discussing the New York Times story. US officials apparently knew where Gerasimov was but they withheld that information from the Ukrainians because they knew that the Ukrainians would attempt to take him out. The US feared his assasination would lead to a direct war between US and Russia. When the Ukrainian troops eventually discovered Gerasimov's office in Ukraine, and swooped in, he was long gone.

Who is Valery Gerasimov? 

Valery Gerasimov is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia. He has held these positions since 2012. Gerasimov was born on February 3, 1955, in the Soviet Union. He joined the military at a young age and received his education at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union. After graduation, he served in various positions within the military, including as a commander in the Moscow Military District and as deputy chief of the General Staff.

In 2012, Gerasimov was appointed Chief of the General Staff and First Deputy Minister of Defense by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In this role, he has been responsible for overseeing the operations and strategies of the Russian military. Gerasimov is known for developing the concept of "non-linear warfare," which emphasizes the use of unconventional tactics and strategies to achieve military objectives. This includes the use of propaganda, cyber attacks, economic pressure, and other forms of asymmetrical warfare to achieve strategic objectives. Gerasimov has also been an advocate for the use of military contractors or private military companies in conflicts.