The appointment of the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces, Valeri Gerasimov, as the commander of a “special military operation” in Ukraine, is an indicator of the seriousness of the situation and a confirmation that the assumed objectives are not being achieved, the British Ministry of Defense assessed on Wednesday in an intelligence update.
“The appointment of the Chief of the General Staff as commander of the theater of war is an indicator of the increasing gravity of the situation Russia is facing, as well as a clear confirmation that the ongoing campaign is failing Russia’s strategic goals. military bloggers who increasingly blame Gerasimov for poor handling of the war.
Surovikin, on the other hand, is widely praised by this community for its more realistic approach. As second-in-command, his authority and influence will almost certainly be very limited.”