The critical situation in the Ukraine war is putting pressure on the Kremlin. The appointment of a hardliner as the new commander of Russian troops does not bode well for Ukraine.
Moscow – President Valdimir Putin is under great pressure in the Ukraine war. The Russian armed forces have not only suffered a series of defeats. (You can find our ticker on the current military situation here.) In addition, just after his 70th birthday on October 7, the bridge that leads from Russia to the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea was damaged by an explosion. The building, which is of great importance for supplying Russian troops in southern Ukraine, was inaugurated by Putin himself.
Ukraine-News: Surovikin new Russian commander – “Hero of Russia”
In response to this development, the commander responsible for the Ukraine offensive was replaced. The 55-year-old Army General Sergei Surovikin had been appointed by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to command the troops “in the area of military special operations” in Ukraine. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in Moscow on Saturday (October 8) in the online service Telegram. The official appointment of the Novosibirsk-born general is unusual, as his predecessor’s name was never officially mentioned.
Surovikin is considered an experienced officer, having served in the civil war in Tajikistan in the 1990s, the second Chechen war in the 2000s and in Syria in 2017. In October 2017 he became commander of the Aerospace Forces, in December of the same year he was awarded the title of Hero of Russia. In the Ukraine war, he commanded the “South” forces of the Russian army, according to a July Defense Ministry report.
“General Armageddon” new Russian commander in Ukraine: Surovikin supported coup against Gorbachev
Surovikin became publicly known as early as August 1991. During the coup against the recently deceased Mikhail Gorbachev, the then incumbent President of the Soviet Union, he was a captain, commanding a battalion of motorized riflemen. With this he tried to break through the barricades of demonstrators in the center of Moscow, killing three people. After the failure of the coup, Surovikin was imprisoned, but was released after a few months because, according to the public prosecutor’s office, he only “followed orders”, as exiled Russian news portal said Medusa reported.
With the appointment of Surovikin, Defense Minister Shoigu, and with him Putin as well, is accommodating those who have criticized the military leadership following the recent setbacks in Ukraine.
Change of command in Ukraine: Putin’s bloodhound Kadyrov now expects the situation to improve
The new commander seems to have acquired a notorious reputation during his long service. In an article in the pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda on June 29, it is said that colleagues since Syria have referred to him as “General Armageddon” because of his ability to act “unconventionally and harshly”.
The founder of the Wagner group of mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, commented loudly Medusa the appointment of Surovikin as commander of the Russian troops in Ukraine with the events of August 1991. According to them, after receiving the order, he without hesitation got into a tank and rushed to save his country. The President of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, is said to be loud Medusa wrote that he had known Surovikin personally for almost 15 years. He was confident that Surovikin would “improve the situation” at the front.
“General Armageddon” new Russian commander in Ukraine: Putin wants to appease critics
On Twitter, Middle East expert Charles Lister describes Surovikin as a “brutal, cool-headed” commander who ensured President Bashar Assad’s political survival in Syria. In addition, during his service, 90 civilians were killed and more than 500 others injured in a poison gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun.
So, under the command of Surovikin, the situation for the people of Ukraine could get even worse. This also applies because Medusas Sources describe Surovikin as supporters of massive rocket attacks on infrastructure, including civilian infrastructure. “Surovikin has no feelings,” one of them also remarked.
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