New Russian commander unlikely to achieve success in Ukraine, UK intelligence says
Sergey Surovikin (Photo:A frame of the video propagandist mass media of Russia)
By appointing General Sergey Surovikin as the new commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, Moscow is likely hoping to improve the performance of its army on the battlefield, UK Defense Ministry said in a Twitter post on Oct. 11.
In its Twitter summary, the ministry recalls that Surovikin was appointed ‘chief commander of the Joint Group of Forces’ carrying out military operations in Ukraine on Oct. 8.
Previously, Surovikin commanded the Russian Air Force, and Russia’s Southern Group of Forces in Ukraine.
U.K. Intelligence notes that during most of the war against Ukraine, Russia didn’t have a single field commander over its troops. Gen. Alexander Dvornikov likely held that position between April and August 2022, but it is not clear if he was able to effectively control the often scattered and competing factions of the invading troops.
“The appointment of Surovikin likely reflects the efforts of the Russian national security community to improve the conduct of the operation,” the Defense Ministry wrote.
“However, it will likely have to compete with the increasingly factional Russian Defense Ministry, which has few resources to achieve the political goals set for it in Ukraine.”
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