War: After Series Of Setbacks, Putin Appoints New General To Lead Ukraine Offensive

After Series Of Setbacks, Putin Appoints New General To Lead Ukraine Offensive

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Russian defence ministry on Saturday, said Sergey Surovikin had been appointed “commander of the Joint Grouping of Forces in the areas of the special military operation”, using the Kremlin’s term for the offensive.

The development came following a series of military setbacks, which drew criticism of the Russian Army’s leadership.

EDITOR’S PICK

• Ukraine Crisis: Russia In Retreat As Putin Appears To Admit Defeat In Battle For Kiev

• Women, Children Queue To Return To Ukraine At Polish Train Station

• Ukraine Crisis: Abramovich, 2 Others ‘Poisoned During Peace

The decision was announced after Moscow’s forces were pushed back by Kyiv in recent weeks in areas the Kremlin had declared Russian “forever”.

According to the ministry’s website, Surovikin is 55, born in Siberia’s Novosibirsk.

On Saturday, the 19-kilometre Kerch Strait Bridge, a key link between annexed Crimea and the Russian mainland, was damaged in an explosion and fire that caused the partial collapse of the road running to the peninsula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an investigation into the incident, which was called a “terrorist act” by one official. Ukraine hasn’t commented officially.

Russian forces were driven out of much of the northeastern Kharkiv region in early September by a Ukrainian counter-offensive that allowed Kyiv to retake thousands of square kilometres of territory.

Russian troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine.

The setbacks led to growing criticism of the military leadership, including from the elite.

FURTHER READING:

• See Inside The Kremlin: Putin Grand Citadel With 9 Gigantic Churches, 700 Rooms

• Ukraine Crisis: Russian Soldiers Raping Many More Ukrainian Women, Says MP

• Ukraine Crisis: 7th Russian General Killed In Ukraine 

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called for the firing of a top general last week, while a senior lawmaker – Andrei Kartapolov – urged military officials to stop “lying” about the situation on the battlefield.

Click to watch our video of the week:

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611