To be dismissed for incompetence is humiliating for the general who suffers that fate. For Air Force General Sergey Surovikin, commander of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, and a Hero of the Russian Federation — appointed in October 2022 by Vladimir Putin as commander of all Russian forces in Ukraine — who reportedly was replaced this week by Lieutenant General Yevgeny Nikiforov after a mere three months, humiliation is an understatement. Putin appointed Surovikin to the command in Ukraine to replace Army Colonel-General Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko, another Hero of the Russian Federation, who in late May 2022 had been named to head the Russian invading forces and then was demoted about a month later. Zhidko, in turn, had replaced Army General Alexandr Dvornikov, who appears to have served less than two months in that position. While Zhidko, like the other two generals, had served in Syria, Dvornikov and Surovikin both shared a reputation for brutality. Dvornikov was nicknamed “the Butcher of Syria.” Surovikin’s reputation in that regard equaled, if not exceeded, that of Dvornikov and his nickname was “General Armageddon.” Now, he too may be gone.
Putin’s rapid replacement of his military leadership indicates that not only is he dissatisfied with its performance, but that with each change, his panic over the likely outcome of the war continues to grow. It has been said that he has been delusional about the war, that his staff gives him only partial information about its progress, and that he lives in a bubble. His replacement of two — and perhaps now three — top generals in the space of 10 months would indicate otherwise; he sees that his “special military operation” is in serious jeopardy. Putin’s changes appear to be achieving results that are subpar. Ukraine fights on, and Russia’s military continues to be stymied on the battlefield, no matter who leads it. Putin has good reason to worry.
thehill.com
