Russian President Vladimir Putin is appointing a new Russian commander to lead his armed forces after troops retreated in the face of Ukrainian resilience.
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Sixty-year-old Alexander Dvornikov is one of Russia’s most experienced military officers. He is the first overall commander appointed by Russia since the start of the invasion in Ukraine.
“The appointment of no commander can erase the simple fact that Russia is already facing a strategic failure in Ukraine,” said Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser.
“This commander will be just another perpetrator of crimes and brutality against Ukrainian civilians,” the adviser added.
The appointment of Dvornikov is explained by a new strategy of Russia to take control of eastern and southern Ukraine.
Under Alexander Dvornikov, the Russian armed forces were notorious for the massive destruction of cities. The commander is also known to have shown brutality against civilians during his previous missions.