Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed general Aleksandr Dvornikov to lead the country’s invasion of Ukraine, as Moscow’s forces regroup after failing to conquer Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, according to latest reports.
Dvornikov, the commander of Russia’s southern military area, has extensive combat experience in Syria, where he commanded Russian forces for a year beginning in 2015., according to the New York Times.
US authorities say there was no central commander guiding Russian forces on the ground in Ukraine prior to Dvornikov’s appointment.
After failing to conquer the Ukrainian capital, Russian forces have entirely withdrawn from locations in the north of Ukraine, surrounding Kyiv and Chernihiv.
The forces have gone into Belarus and western Russia to be rearmed and resupplied in preparation for an invasion in eastern Ukraine.
According to the Times, Western officials and human rights organizations have criticised Russian actions in Syria under Dvornikov’s direction, including the alleged targeting of hospitals and civilian districts in attacks.
Following the revelations, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union all denounced Russia, with France, the United Kingdom, and Germany calling for a war crimes probe.
In response to Russia’s activities in Ukraine, the United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
