Putin Names 9th Leader In 7 Months Of Ukraine 'Special Military Operation'

As a general rule, frequent leadership changes are an indication of poor oversight, weak governance and inadequate vetting. 

They are also an indication that supervisory and hiring authorities have imposed sub-optimal strategies, insufficient resource allocation decisions and unrealistic expectations on those leaders. JL  

Jared Gans reports in The Hill:

Putin has on multiple occasions fired military leaders as Russia has fallen short of its objectives throughout the war. Russian forces have been largely unable to hold back the major Ukrainian counteroffensive that has seen Ukraine retake thousands of square kilometers of territory in the eastern and southern parts of the country over the past month. Gen. Sergey Surovikin previously served as commander of Russia’s Eastern Military District and led Russian soldiers in Syria.

Russia has appointed an army general as the commander for all its forces in Ukraine as it tries to halt Ukrainian momentum and turn the tide of the war. 

The state-run news agency Tass reported on Saturday that the Russian defense ministry appointed Gen. Sergey Surovikin as the commander for its invasion of Ukraine. 

Tass reported that Surovikin previously served as commander of Russia’s Eastern Military District and led Russian soldiers in Syria. 

The Guardian reported that he was known for using brutal and controversial tactics in Syria, including the indiscriminate bombing of anti-government fighters.

The appointment comes as frustration with Russia’s military leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decisionmaking has reached new highs since the war began.

Russian forces have been largely unable to hold back the major Ukrainian counteroffensive that has seen Ukraine retake thousands of square kilometers of territory in the eastern and southern parts of the country over the past month. 

Putin also faced strong pushback after he announced that he would call up 300,000 reservists to replenish depleted Russian forces, the first call-up of reserves in the country since World War II. Russian officials announced some exceptions to the partial mobilization for certain occupations deemed essential following protests that broke out throughout Russia.

 

Putin has on multiple occasions fired military leaders as Russia has fallen short of its objectives throughout the war.

 

Russia last month held referendums in four regions of Ukraine captured by Russian troops during the invasion that the international community widely condemned as shams. Ukrainian forces retook the city of Lyman in the Donetsk province, one of the regions where the referendums took place, one day after Putin announced the annexation of the area.

An explosion also occurred on a bridge connecting Russia with the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday, potentially disrupting a key supply route for Russian forces.