There’s a new general responsible for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s devastating war against Ukraine — and he’s known for his brutality.
After Ukraine made strides in its counter-offensive in recent weeks, the Russian Defense Ministry appointed Sergei Surovikin as its new commander in chief for wartime operations.
In particular, he previously played a crucial role in Russian operations in Syria as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. During these operations, Russian warplanes caused widespread devastation in rebel-held areas.
CNN spoke to a former Russian Air Force lieutenant, Gleb Irisov, who served under him in Syria.
He said Surovikin was “very close to the Putin regime” and “never had any political ambitions, so always executed a plan exactly as the government wanted.”
Analysts say that while Surovikin’s appointment is highly unlikely to change the way Russian forces conduct the war, it speaks to Putin’s dissatisfaction with previous commando operations. According to Mason Clark, a Russia expert at the Institute for the Study of War think tank, it is also likely to placate the nationalist and pro-war base in Russia itself.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who called on Russia to take “more drastic measures” including the use of “low-year nuclear weapons” in Ukraine after recent setbacks, welcomed Surovikin’s appointment.
The praise of Kadyrov, a key Putin ally, is perhaps significant as he himself is notorious for quashing all forms of dissent.
“They hated him”: As a former subordinate of the commander in Syria, Irisov said he saw Surovikin several times during some missions and spoke to senior officers below him.
“He made a lot of people very angry – they hated him,” Irisov said, describing how the “direct” and “straightforward” general was disliked at headquarters for trying to bring his infantry experience to the Luftwaffe.
Just two days after Surovikin’s appointment last Saturday, Russia launched its heaviest bombardment of Ukraine since the war began.
Surovikin is “more familiar with cruise missiles, perhaps he used his connections and experience to organize this chain of devastating attacks,” Irisov said, referring to reports that cruise missiles were among the weapons deployed by Russia.
But Clark of the Study of War think tank suggests that the general’s promotion is “more of a framework thing to inject new blood into the Russian command system” and “put that tough nationalist face on”.
You can read Sarah Dean’s full report here.
