Russia names new commander of its forces in Ukraine

17:54, 08.10.2022

Russia on Saturday appointed a new general of its forces in Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry said General Sergey Surovikin had been appointed “commander of the Joint Grouping of Forces in the areas of the special military operation.”

According to the ministry’s website, Surovikin is 55, born in Siberia’s Novosibirsk. He has combat experience in the 1990s conflicts in Tajikistan and Chechnya and, more recently, in Syria, where Moscow intervened in 2015 on the side of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Until now Surovikin led the “South” forces in Ukraine, according to a defence ministry report in July.

Russian forces were previously led by Alexander Dvornikov, also a general of the Second Chechen War and Russian commander in Syria.

The decision comes after a series of crushing defeats suffered by the Russian army in Ukraine.

By - Elene Dobordjginidze

World

Sergey Surovikin