Russia’s ‘General Armageddon’ admits Ukraine situation is ‘tense’ for his forces
- Sergei Surovikin, the new commander of Moscow’s invasion force, appeared to concede there was a danger of Kyiv’s troops advancing towards the city of Kherson
- The general is known for brutal campaigns in Syria and Chechnya, and his appointment in Ukraine was followed by a massive wave of missile strikes
And in another sign of Russian concern about the situation on the ground eight months into its invasion, the Kremlin-installed chief of the strategic southern region of Kherson on Tuesday announced an “organised, gradual displacement” of civilians from four towns on the Dnipro River.
Russian forces in Kherson have been driven back by 20-30km (13-20 miles) in the last few weeks and are at risk of being pinned against the western bank of the 2,200km-long (1,367 miles) Dnipro river that bisects Ukraine.
“The situation in the area of the ‘special military operation’ can be described as tense,” Sergei Surovikin, a Russian air force general named this month to take charge, told the state-owned Rossiya 24 television news channel.
On Kherson, Surovikin said: “The situation in this area is difficult. The enemy is deliberately striking infrastructure and residential buildings in Kherson”.
Both Ukraine and Russia have denied targeting civilians, although Kyiv has accused Moscow’s forces of war crimes.