Surovikin, an army veteran with a credibility for ruthlessness designated to the function in October, was entrusted with turning the tide in Ukraine as the Russian army dealt with a series of battleground defeats.Two days after Surovikins election, the Russian army indicated a strategic modification by letting loose a wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure targets, triggering electricity blackouts and water outages in several cities.One month after his appointment, Russia pulled away from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, the only local capital Russian forces had held in the conflict to date.

Since then, the frontline has actually stayed relatively fixed.

Moscows forces are likewise leading a long and bloody battle in the east around Bakhmut and Soledar, where the circumstance was unclear on Wednesday evening.Russian mercenary group Wagner declared to control the gateway town of Soledar, while the Kremlin warned versus a premature statement of triumph, noting that battling was still ongoing.