Russia continues to make changes at the top of its military leadership
Russia continues to introduce changes in the army leadership as it continues its advance into Ukrainian territory following the invasion that began in February 2022.
After a little more than two years, the conflict has entered a phase of stagnation thanks to the initial Ukrainian resistance, backed by Western support with material and military advice from the United States, NATO and European Union countries, but recently the Ukrainian ranks are showing signs of wear and tear.
At this point, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again replaced one of Russia's deputy Defence Ministers. Andrei Bulyga replaced Alexei Kuzmenkov, who took up his post less than a year ago, as deputy Defence Minister and head of materiel supplies to the Russian army.
Andrei Bulyga's profile was well liked by the Russian leadership. The new deputy Defence Minister was born on 13 October 1968 in the village of Sary-Ozek, Kerbulak district in Kazakhstan. He graduated from the Ulyanovsk Higher Military Technical School in 1990, the Military Academy of Logistics and Transport in 1999, and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia in 2010. He served in the Western Forces Group, in four military districts and in the logistics planning and coordination department of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. Since 2018 he had been serving in the role of deputy commander of the logistics troops of the Western Military District, until reaching his current position.
There are currently 12 Russian deputy defence ministers under the command of defence minister Sergei Shoigu, who is one of Vladimir Putin's most trusted men.
Bulyga's replacement by Kuzmenkov comes shortly after the Kremlin replaced the supreme commander of the Russian navy. British media outlet The Telegraph noted that the Kremlin "dismissed the supreme commander of the Russian navy" after a series of setbacks in the Black Sea, where Russian ships came under heavy drone and missile attacks by Ukrainian forces.
In addition, both Izvestia, a Moscow-based newspaper linked to the Kremlin, and the St Petersburg News Agency reported, citing unnamed sources, the change of leadership in the Russian navy. Thus, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, 61, left his post as supreme commander of the Russian Navy, which he had held since May 2019, after being dismissed and was replaced by Admiral Alexander Moiseyev.
Aleksander Moiseyev was born on 16 April 1962 and is an officer in the Russian Navy. He currently holds the rank of admiral and is commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy.
Moiseyev did his military service before studying at the Navy's technical institute. From there he joined the Northern Fleet as a submariner, a status also held by his predecessor Nikolai Evmenov. After starting in the engineering branch, he specialised in combat and war control. Commended for his service and promoted, he took direct command of one of Russia's ships, from which he conducted the first commercial space launch in the history of the Navy, as well as the first commercial payload ever sent into orbit from a submarine. He pursued further studies at the Naval Academy and the State Military Academy, interspersed with command of submarine squadrons. He received accolades for his supervisory duties and was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation in 2011.
In 2018 he assumed command of the Black Sea Fleet and oversaw a period of expansion within the fleet. In May 2019, he was appointed commander of the Northern Fleet, until being appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy this March, replacing Nikolai Evmenov.
In addition, last February, the Russian defence ministry dismissed the commander of the Black Sea Fleet for the third time since the start of the war. Admiral Viktor Sokolov was removed from command of the Black Sea Fleet as a result of Ukraine's sinking of the Russian landing ship 'Caesar Kunikov', as well as his leadership style, which the Kremlin did not like, according to Western media.
Course of the war
Russia has made significant advances on the front lines in recent weeks in the face of Ukraine's attrition, which is demanding more aid and assistance from the West. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, said that Russia's advance had been "slowed down" and that the situation on the front line was "much better".
The Ukrainian army has suffered heavy onslaughts in recent weeks and has lost ground to Russian troops at several points on the front, due to attrition after more than two years of war and the lack of some Western supplies on an ad hoc basis. Ukraine expects more help from Western powers as the need for materiel is urgent to keep up the fighting.
Elections
All these developments come ahead of Russia's upcoming three-day elections next Friday, which are expected to see another election victory for Russia's top leader Vladimir Putin.
The three days of voting are not expected to produce any surprises, as Vladimir Putin is the clear favourite to renew his grip on power. The elections come at a controversial time because of the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions against the Russian state for carrying out the unjustifiable invasion of Ukrainian territory, which have hit the Russian economy hard and slowed its growth.
Putin is seeking a fifth re-election at the age of 71 for a new six-year term, and no surprises are expected in this regard in the absence of a strong opposition.