Peskov forwarded the issue of reshuffles in the leadership of the special operation to the Ministry of Defense

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the reshuffle in the leadership of the joint group of special operations troops and forwarded this issue to the Ministry of Defense. The military department explained the reshuffle by expanding the scope of tasks during the operation and the need for close interaction between the types of troops.

“This is a question for the Ministry of Defense,” Mr. Peskov said in response to a TASS question about the reasons for the reshuffle in the leadership of military operations.

“Raising the level of management of a special military operation is associated with the expansion of the scale of tasks solved in the course of its implementation, the need to organize closer interaction between the branches and branches of the armed forces, as well as improving the quality of all types of support and the effectiveness of command and control of groupings of troops,”— reported in the Ministry of Defense.

Today, January 11, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov as commander of the joint grouping of special operations troops instead of Sergei Surovikin. Mr. Surovikin, as well as Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces Oleg Salyukov and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Alexei Kim became Valery Gerasimov’s deputies. Sergey Surovikin has led the special operation forces since October 8, 2022.

Anastasia Larina