**Putin Appoints General Who Led Mariupol Assault as New Russian Ground Forces Commander**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a significant move in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine by appointing Colonel General Andrey Mordvichev, who led the assault on Mariupol in 2022, as the new Commander of the Russian Ground Forces. This decision comes amidst reports that Russia is preparing for a major new offensive in Ukraine despite ongoing peace efforts.
Mordvichev’s appointment has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials and international observers. As the commander of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army of Russia’s Southern Military District, Mordvichev was directly involved in the devastating siege of Mariupol that killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had previously accused him of meeting with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to approve plans for the final assault on the city.
Under Mordvichev’s command, Russian troops carried out the destruction of civilian infrastructure and committed atrocities against both civilians and the Ukrainian military. He has also been directly involved in other areas of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including the coordination of Russian forces in the Donetsk Oblast.
Mordvichev’s appointment is seen as a signal that Russia is preparing for another large-scale military operation in Ukraine. Despite ongoing peace efforts led by the US and other international actors, Putin’s decision to appoint a commander with a history of human rights abuses suggests that Moscow is committed to using force to achieve its goals.
The SBU has notified Mordvichev of suspicion under various articles of the Ukrainian Criminal Code related to encroachment on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, waging an aggressive war, and committing crimes by a group of individuals in prior conspiracy. His appointment is also seen as a replacement for General Oleg Saliukov, who was appointed as deputy secretary of the Security Council.
Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s former defense minister, has headed the Security Council since May 2024 and now has several deputies, including Saliukov. The move highlights Putin’s efforts to consolidate power and control over Russia’s military and security apparatus.
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, Mordvichev’s appointment as Commander of the Russian Ground Forces is a worrying development that suggests further conflict in the region is likely.
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