Putin may have appointed a new commander in Ukraine
US and European officials say President Putin appointed General Dvornikov, 60, to lead the military operation in Ukraine.
Sources on April 9 said that Colonel General Alexander Dvornikov, commander of Russia’s Southern Military District, has been appointed to command the special military operation in Ukraine. “This move shows that the Russians are trying to change the situation,” a European official said.
A commander with combat experience is believed to be able to bring a level of coordination to the campaign that is expected to focus on the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, rather than on multiple fronts.
Dvornikov, 60, is the first commander of Russia’s military operations in Syria, after President Vladimir Putin dispatched troops in September 2015 to support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During Dvornikov’s command in Syria from September 2015 to June 2016, Russian aircraft supported Syrian government forces and their allies besieging the rebel-held eastern city of Aleppo. The Syrian government took control of the city in December 2016.
Russian President Putin (left) and Lieutenant General Alexander Dvornikov at an event in the Kremlin in 2016. Photo: Sputnik.
“We will see how effective Russia’s new move is. The Russians are still using the old doctrines and tactics,” the European official said.
Former British ambassador to Russia Sir Roderic Lyne told Sky News on April 9 that Russia has appointed a new general with experience in Syria to gain some territory in Donetsk. The move could also be an attempt to create a more cohesive strategy.
Russia has not yet commented on the information.
Military analysts and US officials familiar with the intelligence assessment speculate the Russian generals aim to make some tangible progress in Ukraine before Victory Day on May 9, the 77th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis. Virtue.
The United States has previously said that Putin may appoint a general whose forces are operating in southern Ukraine because that is where Russia controls more territory. The High Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on April 8 that Russian forces had completed the withdrawal of troops from the Sumy region, in the north of Ukraine, and continued to consolidate forces in the east.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine from February 24 to “demilitarize” and “de-fascistize”. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said more than 4.41 million people left Ukraine after the outbreak of hostilities. Many evacuees from Ukraine transit through neighboring countries, then on to other European countries.
The flashpoints of fighting in eastern Ukraine. Graphics: NY Times. Click on the map for details.
Huyen Le (According to CNN)
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