Overview

• Colonel General Andrey Mordvichev, nicknamed 'General Blood,' has replaced General Oleg Salyukov as commander of Russia’s ground forces, days after Salyukov led the Victory Day parade.
• Mordvichev is notorious for high-casualty operations, including the Avdiivka offensive, which resulted in up to 17,000 Russian fatalities and 30,000 wounded.
• The leadership change coincides with renewed Russian drone strikes on Kyiv and intensified shelling in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, underscoring continued hostilities.
• Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey remain stalled, with Russia sending a low-level delegation and no significant progress reported.
• Analysts warn that Russia’s military restructuring and force rebuilding could lead to a potential confrontation with NATO as early as 2027 if a ceasefire is reached.