On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the commander of Russia’s Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov. Salyukov, 69, had served in the position since May 2014. He will now assume the role of Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council.
He will be replaced by Colonel General Andrey Mordvichev, who was previously in command of the Central Military District. Mordvichev, 49, has held various key positions in the Russian Armed Forces, including commander of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army and deputy commander of the Southern Military District.
In Late 2022, Mordichev would become the commander of the Central Military District following Ukraine’s Kharkov offensive that saw the Russian army lose large amounts of territory. The commander in charge of that sector, General Aleksandr Lapin, came under criticism for the retreat and led to his removal from his post.
Mordvichev will become the first commander of a major branch of the Russian military who did not serve in the Soviet Armed Forces—marking a generational shift in military leadership.
He is a veteran of several significant battles in the war in Ukraine, including the Battle of Mariupol and the Battle of Avdeevka.
More recently, Mordvichev led Russian forces in the capture of Avdiivka—a heavily fortified front-line city that had withstood attacks for nearly two years. Its fall was seen as a major breakthrough in Russia’s efforts to push Ukrainian forces away from Donetsk.
In March 2022, Ukrainian sources claimed Mordvichev had been killed in an airstrike in the Kherson region, a claim repeated by multiple Western media outlets. However, he later appeared in Mariupol alongside Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, disproving the reports.
The leadership change comes as Russian forces intensify their offensive across the front lines, capturing two to three towns or villages daily and advancing toward key Ukrainian cities such as Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka. Mordvichev’s appointment may reflect the Kremlin’s desire for a younger, battle-hardened general to lead future, potentially larger offensives.
Colonel General Valery Solodchuk will take over as commander of the Central Military District, putting him in charge of forces in the Donetsk region—where Russian troops are reportedly preparing for new assaults on major Ukrainian cities and logistical hubs.
Solodchuk previously led Russian forces in the Kursk region earlier this year, where Russian troops pushed Ukrainian forces out of the town of Sudzha, which had been occupied since August.
These changes in command and continuing battlefield gains coincide with renewed diplomatic activity. Russian and Ukrainian delegations are currently in Turkey for potential negotiations. However, the talks scheduled for Thursday did not take place.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had insisted he would only negotiate directly with President Putin, left Turkey to attend an EU summit in Albania. Reports now suggest that trilateral and quadrilateral meetings involving Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United States may take place on Friday. It remains unclear whether any direct or bilateral talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will occur.