Sergei Surovikin has just been appointed by Putin as the man to command Russian group forces in Ukraine.
A chilling background.
1. Spetsnaz commander in Soviet–Afghan War (1980s) and led the 42nd Guards Motor Rifle Division stationed in Chechnya.
2. Beats a Lieutenant Colonel (Viktor Chibizov) to within an inch of his life for “voting for the wrong candidate” (2004).
3. Berates a Division deputy commander (Colonel Andrei Shtakal) so badly that the dude shoots himself right in front of Surovikin (2004).
4. Putin put him in charge of Russian military operations in Syria in 2017. Surovikin oblitrates ISIS. His ruthless methods were credited with quickly turning the tide of the war (2017-2019).
Now Putin has put this man in charge of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin not fussed that Surovikin troops killed 3 pro-democracy protestors during failed 1991 coup in Moscow. “Having received an order [in 1991], Surovikin was that officer who without hesitation got in his tank and went forward to save his country.” t.co/7Z7IHgSDa3
— Andrew Roth (@Andrew__Roth) October 8, 2022
AC