Putin Promotes Paratrooper Generals, Reassigns Ground Forces Commander to Security Council

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reshuffled military leadership by replacing Army General Oleg Salyukov as Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, appointing him Deputy Secretary of the Security Council, a top consultative body chaired by Putin. Salyukov, who led Russia's ground forces since 2014 and played a key role in the Ukraine invasion, is now serving in a largely advisory capacity. His replacement is Colonel General Valery Solodchuk, known for aggressive tactics and credited with countering a Ukrainian incursion in Russia's Kursk region. Solodchuk's promotion, along with that of Colonel General Andrey Mordvichev to Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, signals a Kremlin focus on younger, hard-hitting generals willing to accept heavy losses to gain ground against Ukrainian forces. The Security Council, where Salyukov now serves, functions as a political retirement post without direct operational control over security agencies. Salyukov has been sanctioned internationally for his role in the conflict, reflecting global condemnation of Russia's military actions in Ukraine.