‘General Armageddon’: Russia’s new Ukraine commander Sergei Surovikin has a reputation
- General Sergei Surovikin has become the face of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine in just a few days
- Dubbed ‘General Armageddon’ in Western media, the 56-year-old has reputation for being ruthless commander
The general carrying out President Vladimir Putin’s new military strategy in Ukraine has a reputation for brutality for bombing civilians in Russia’s campaign in Syria.
He also played a role in the deaths of three protesters in Moscow during the failed coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991 that hastened the demise of the Soviet Union.
Bald and fierce-looking, General Sergei Surovikin was put in charge of Russian forces in Ukraine on October 8 after what has so far been a faltering invasion that has seen a number of chaotic retreats and other setbacks over the nearly eight months of war.
Putin put the 56-year-old career military man in command following an apparent truck bombing of the strategic bridge to the Crimean Peninsula that embarrassed the Kremlin and created logistical problems for the Russian forces.
Russia responded with a barrage of strikes across Ukraine, which Putin said were aimed at knocking down energy infrastructure and Ukrainian military command centres. Such attacks have continued on a daily basis, pummeling power plants and other facilities with cruise missiles and waves of Iranian-made drones.
Surovikin also retains his job of air force chief, a position that could help coordinate the air strikes with other operations.
