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Russian Military Commander General Valery Gerasimov intervened by becoming the commander of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Photo/REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
Moscow military analysts say Russia’s move to order General Gerasimov to intervene is a direct sign that Moscow’s war in Ukraine is entering an increasingly dangerous level.
Russia’s defense ministry said on Wednesday that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov as commander of forces for what Moscow called “special military operations” in Ukraine.
Also read: General Armageddon Stripped of Commander of Russia’s War in Ukraine
The move not only made Gerasimov directly responsible for the fate of the campaign, but also essentially demoted General Sergey Surovikin aka General Armageddon.
“The increase in the level of leadership of special military operations is related to the expansion of the scale of tasks … the need to organize closer contacts between various branches of the armed forces, and improve the quality … and effectiveness of Russian management of troops,” said a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense explaining the reshuffle. war commander Moscow in Ukraine.
Surovikin’s demotion came after only three months in office, and he became Gerasimov’s deputy along with two other generals–Oleg Salyukov and Alexey Kim.
Days after Surovikin’s nomination as warlord, the Russian army signaled a strategic change by unleashing waves of drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure targets, causing power outages and water cuts in several cities.
During his short time supervising Russian troops in Ukraine, Surovikin was credited with strengthening coordination and strengthening control.
But he also announced a Russian troop withdrawal in November from Kherson, one of the largest and most important cities Moscow troops captured during the conflict.
