Charles Esther
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev as the new commander in chief of Russia’s ground forces.
Multiple Russian and international outlets, including Deutsche Welle and Izvestia, reported the move on Thursday.
The appointment comes as Mordvichev replaces General Oleg Salyukov, who has led the ground forces since 2014.
Official presidential decrees confirmed Salyukov’s departure.
However, they have not yet officially listed Mordvichev’s appointment.
A Reputation Built on Attrition Warfare
Mordvichev is well known for his endorsement of Russia’s high-casualty “meat grinder” tactics.
These involve repeated waves of infantry assaults designed to exhaust and overwhelm defenders.
The Institute for the Study of War stated that Mordvichev’s promotion signals the Kremlin’s support for institutionalizing these attritional strategies.
Military analyst Yan Matveyev also credited him as one of the main architects of the approach.
Leadership in Mariupol and Avdiivka
Mordvichev has played a critical role in some of the war’s bloodiest battles.
He was the deputy commander of Russia’s Central Military District during the 2022 siege of Mariupol.
The coastal city saw intense fighting, culminating in the Russian capture of the Azovstal steel plant.
The siege is estimated to have resulted in over 8,000 deaths.
In February 2024, Mordvichev also led Russian forces to capture the strategic city of Avdiivka.
Ukrainian officials reported that more than 30,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded during that campaign.
Backed by Powerful Allies
Mordvichev’s rise through the ranks has been backed by Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen Republic’s leader.
Kadyrov once called him “the best commander” during his promotion to head of the Central Military District in 2023.
Despite Ukraine’s claim in 2022 that Mordvichev had been killed in an airstrike near Kherson, he reappeared in public alongside Kadyrov later that year.
He is also under multiple European sanctions, as documented in the OpenSanctions database.
Transition of Power and Security Council Shift
General Oleg Salyukov, nearing his 70th birthday and mandatory retirement, will move to a senior position on Russia’s Security Council.
This transition is part of a broader reshuffle within Russia’s military leadership.
Controversial Timing Amid Peace Talks
Mordvichev’s appointment coincides with renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
However, Putin chose not to attend, sending lower-level officials instead.
These included many of the same negotiators involved in previous failed discussions in 2022.
The absence drew criticism from European allies.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described it as a “slap in the face.”
