Lapin became a candidate for the post of head of the Leningrad Military District – Kommersant

A likely candidate for the post of head of the Leningrad Military District (LenVO) is Colonel General Alexander Lapin, Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces and First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces. This was reported by “Fontanka” citing sources, one of whom claims that Mr. Lapin has already assumed command of the district.

The publication’s interlocutors say that on March 31, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov arrived in the combat zone. There he addressed the command staff of the Leningrad Military District and, as Fontanka reports, said a phrase that was interpreted as if the decision to appoint Alexander Lapin had already been made.

However, sources disagree. Some argue that the decree on the appointment of Mr. Lapin has already been signed. Others believe he is just one of the candidates for the post.

Fontanka clarifies that in February 2022, troops led by Alexander Lapin advanced on Kyiv. Later they were redirected to the east, where in May they established control over Krasny Liman. After the city came under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in October of the same year, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, criticized the general.

At the end of February 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin recreated Moscow and Leningrad military districts. The second included the republics of Karelia and Komi, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov regions, St. Petersburg, as well as the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu saidthat the districts were recreated due to NATO expansion.

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Petr Buzlaev