Latest news with #SouthernMilitaryDistrict
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Ground Forces commander-in-chief appointed in Russia
Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, who was awarded the title of Hero of Russia for the occupation of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces. Source: Russian Ministry of Defence on Telegram Details: Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said that Mordvichev is an "experienced combat officer" who "fully revealed his talent as a military commander during a special military operation [as the Russians call the war against Ukraine – ed.]". Notably, in March 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Mordvichev had been killed. For reference: According to the Russian agency Interfax, prior to this appointment, Mordvichev commanded the Centre Group of Forces. It was officially reported that in February 2024, under his command, this group occupied Avdiivka. Mordvichev was reportedly born on 14 January 1976 in Pavlodar (Kazakhstan). In 1997, he graduated from the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School, and in 2006, from the General Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces. After graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 2016, he was appointed deputy corps commander. From 2017 to 2019, Mordvichev was chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Central Military District. From 2019 to 2021, he was chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District, commander of the 8th Army from 2021 to 2022, and deputy commander of the entire Southern Military District from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, Mordvichev was appointed commander of the Central Military District. Background: On 15 May, it became known that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had dismissed General Oleg Salyukov from his post as commander-in-chief of the Russian Ground Forces and appointed him deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council. Salyukov had commanded the Russian Ground Forces since May 2014. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Putin's personal bodyguard, ex-Russian army commander helped Yanukovych flee Ukraine in 2014, prosecutor says
Sergei Morozov, the personal bodyguard of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former commander of the Southern Military District Aleksander Galkin were involved in the illegal border crossing of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, prosecutor Denis Ivanov told Ukrinform on April 28. Earlier in the day, the Prosecutor General's Office announced that Yanukovych was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for inciting desertion and organizing illegal border crossings. This is Yanukovych's second conviction by a Ukrainian court. In 2019, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for high treason and complicity in waging war of aggression against Ukraine. Yanukovych, Ukraine's former pro-Russian leader, was ousted following the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014 and subsequently fled to to the prosecutor, during the trial for illegal border crossing, the routes and dates of Yanukovych's movements, as well as the people who facilitated them, were determined. "All these events took place with the support of the special services of the Russian Federation and the Russian Armed Forces. The Federal Security Service, the military of the Southern Military District, and the Russian Black Sea Fleet were involved," Ivanov said."One of the phones used by Yanukovych during his constant movement was connected to Putin's bodyguard," he added. The decisive direct evidence in this case was the testimony of some employees of the State Protection Department of Ukraine who refused Yanukovych's offer to leave Ukraine's territory with him and betray their military oath, according to Ivanov. Another piece of evidence in the case was information from a telecommunications operator on the recording of numbers used by Yanukovych and his security details while moving around the territory of Ukraine and Russia within the area of coverage of the operators' base stations. Yanukovych, 73, remains one of Ukraine's most controversial political figures. He was rejected by voters in the aftermath of the 2004 Orange Revolution, following the discovery of voter fraud in Yanukovych's favor. Nevertheless, he returned to win the presidency in 2010. Yanukovych's presidency, widely seen as corrupt and authoritarian, drew Ukraine closer to Russia. In November 2013, his refusal to sign an association agreement with the European Union triggered mass protests known as the EuroMaidan Revolution. After the deaths of nearly 100 protesters at the hands of security forces in February 2014, Yanukovych fled Ukraine and sought refuge in Russia. Ukrainian prosecutors believe that the former president currently resides in the village of Barvikha in Moscow Oblast. Read also: Ukraine to continue fighting with or without Trump, experts say We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russians advance west of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported that Russian forces have captured the village of Ulakly to the west of Kurakhove and continue their advance in this direction. The primary objective of the Russian forces is to level the line of contact and establish better-fortified positions. Source: ISW Details: In their report, ISW noted that geolocated images published on 21 February confirm that Russian forces have likely closed the Ukrainian "pocket" to the west of Kurakhove. ISW's early assessment says the main goal of Russian forces on the Kurakhove front is to level the line of contact and create more fortified positions to the west of Kurakhove. Quote: "Russian forces appear close to leveling the frontline in western Donetsk Oblast and are reportedly working to redeploy elements of two formations from this area." Details: ISW recently received reports that the Russian military command has redeployed elements of the 20th and 150th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions (both part of the 8th Army Corps, Southern Military District) to the Toretsk and eastern part of Pokrovsk fronts. Quote: "Russian forces have likely freed up some forces of the 150th Motorised Rifle Division from the Kurakhove direction to redeploy to the Toretsk direction by evening out the frontline west of Kurakhove and are likely prioritising pressuring Kostyantynivka (northwest of Toretsk) – the southernmost point of Ukraine's "fortress belt" in Donetsk Oblast." Details: ISW indicated that Russian forces are likely to continue advancing on the Kurakhove front from the east and southeast, allowing elements of the 8th Army Corps (Southern Military District) to redeploy to other sections of the state media and Kremlin officials appear to be leveraging select statements from US officials alongside long-standing Russian narratives to create tension between the United States and Ukraine and undermine faith in America's commitment to Ukraine. US officials continue to reiterate their support for Ukraine and a lasting and just resolution of the war. Russian forces recently eliminated the Ukrainian pocket west of Kurakhove amid continued reports that the Russian military is redeploying elements of the Russian Southern Military District's (SMD) 8th Combined Arms Army (CAA) from the Kurakhove direction to the Toretsk direction. Russian forces are attempting to leverage the seizure of Velyka Novosilka to advance further north of the settlement toward the Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast administrative border. Ukrainian officials continue to highlight the growth of Ukraine's defence industrial base (DIB) through significant expansion in the domestic production of key military equipment. Russian leader Vladimir Putin promoted Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) Commander Sergei Pinchuk to the rank of Admiral and Eastern Group of Forces Commander Andrey Ivanayev to the rank of Colonel General on 21 February. Russian forces recently advanced near Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka and in Kursk Oblast. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is reportedly falsely designating former penal recruits as having abandoned their units without authorisation (SOCH) to avoid paying them amid continued indicators that Russian authorities are concerned about the war's strain on the Russian economy. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
