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Hours after the explosion on Kerch Bridge, Moscow announced a new leader of its "special operation" in Ukraine. General Sergei Surovikin, a former head of the Russian Aerospace Forces and a veteran military officer is known as a brutal commander.

Putin released the news on Sunday. In what may be a public relations move. The new commander will be tasked with shutting down Ukraine’s so far, successful counter-offensive.

Fighting continues in Ukraine. And it has moved to some areas that have been claimed by Russia since 2014.

Prior to the Kerch Bridge bombing commanders of two of Russia’s five military regions were fired. The reshuffling of military brass is in response to the Ukraine counteroffensive which has erased Moscow’s military gains. 

The Kerch bridge strike was intended to mock Putin. And the bombing came the day after his 70th birthday. 

Brutal commander replaces the “Butcher”

Surovikin  is being touted as the first overall battlefield commander. But Army General Alexander Dvornikov had a similar role.

In April, Putin publicly promoted Dvornikov as new commander of the Ukraine war. Dvornikov was known as the Butcher of Syria. He only lasted a few months in the role. And was replaced by Surovikin as “head of the southern military grouping” this summer. 

 The new head of Russian efforts in Ukraine has a very dark history. He was once jailed in Russia. And was found guilty of selling weapons in illegal arms trade.  Eventually he was freed when it was claimed he had been framed.

British Intel sources note that "For more than 30 years, Surovikin's career has been plagued by accusations of corruption and brutality." 

As a military commander he led Russian forces in Syria in 2017. He was accused of “controversial” tactics including indiscriminate bombing of civilians.

His tactics got him listed in the October 2020 Human Rights Watch report. It claims Surovikin is a person “who may bear command responsibility for violations” during the 2019-2020 offensive in Syria. 

He also led soldiers against Russian pro-democracy protesters during the 1991 coup. And ordered his troops to open fire on the people. Three Russian civilians were killed.

 Survokin has earned a reputation as a brutal commander who is capable of “total ruthlessness”.