Nearly seven weeks of war in Ukraine, experts have pointed out that the Russian the invasion has not gone as smoothly as Russia might have seen. The forces have seemed poorly organized, and the Ukrainians have offered better resistance than first expected.
So far, Russia has had three equal military leaders in Ukraine, write NBC News.
The election of Dvornikov as commander is seen as a signal that the war is entering a new phase. And that Russia will now concentrate on Aust-Ukraine, after they had to give up Kyiv.
Dvornikov knows Eastern Ukraine well after having served in the Donbas region since 2016.
Experienced officer
The general is according to AP one of the most experienced officers in the Russian army. He has, among other things, fought in Chechnya, and has held several command positions in the Russian army.
In 2015, he hired the Russian forces in Syria, which carried out massive bombingar of rebel-controlled cities. Their efforts are said to have contributed to President Bashar al-Assad returning to the offensive.
Dvornikov (right) inspects a naval exercise in the Black Sea in 2020 together with President Vladimir Putin and Navy Chief Nikolai Yevmenov.
Foto: Alexei Druzhinin / AP
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According to the company Airwarswhich among other things monitors the air war in Syria, almost 25,000 civilian Syrians will be killed by Russian airstrikes between September 2015 and March 2022.
In 2016, Dvornikov received the Russian Hero Medal, one of the most prestigious medals of honor in Russia, for his efforts in Syria, write Washington Post.
Believes in Syria tactics
Several attacks are now expected in eastern Ukraine. Monday night there were reports that more will be killed and injured in bombings in the city of Kharkiv.
There have been several massive attacks on the city east of the country since the Russian invasion began on 24 February.
Fares al-Bayoush, a defector from the Syrian army, says to the news agency AP that the election of Dvornikov is a sign that Russia wants fast fighting in several places at the same time.
– I reckon he will use the same burnt earth tactics that he used in Syria. It is a tactic he knows well, says al-Bayoush.
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