According to the British Ministry of Defence, which refers to Russian state media, the Dnipro troop grouping has a new commander.
The British announced this in their daily update on platform X, formerly Twitter. The Deputy Commander of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, Mikhail Teplinsky, has likely personally taken command of the Russian Dnipro troop grouping. He replaces General Colonel Oleg Makayevich, and the troop is responsible for the occupied territories of the Cherson Oblast, including the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. The fighting has intensified in this area in recent weeks, partly due to the fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have challenged Russian control over the river’s eastern bank.
Response to Increased Pressure from Ukraine
According to the British, Teplinsky probably holds a high standing in the Russian General Staff and has experience leading operations in this area, as he was the responsible officer on the ground for Russia’s relatively successful withdrawal from west of the Dnipro in November 2022. Repelling Ukrainian attacks across the Dnipro and maintaining territories in the occupied Cherson Oblast for the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine remain a top priority, this is considered almost certain. Teplinsky’s appointment is likely an indication of the increased pressure on Russian forces defending the area.
Image: Duma.gov.ru, Putin spoke at the International Parliamentary Conference Russia – Africa in a Multipolar World, 20 March 2023. CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
