The Western democracies have a good record of allowing failed Generals to retire in good graces.
Autocrats, Kings, Tyrants, Dictators, have a bad record of executing generals who did not meet the grade...
This may be something, it may be nothing, deceit is an important part of warfare. Sowing distrust into the other side's camp is an age-old tactic.
Putin made the mistake of hiring his mercenaries that were able to perform effectively in the war in Ukraine while at the same time his military was incompetent.