UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 52 - 11 APRIL 2022

The new Russian supreme commander: US intelligence agencies reported over the weekend of April 9 and 10 that Russian Army General Alexander Vladimirovich Dvornikov, commander of the Southern Military District, now has overall command of Russian operations in Ukraine.

This news is not surprising: Dvornikov is the highest-ranking of the three Russian military district commanders involved in the invasion, and the Russian military is focusing its efforts almost exclusively on the territory of Ukraine that Dvornikov had already commanded. Had Putin entrusted another officer with command over the entire war effort, he would likely have had to replace Dvornikov for these reasons. So, there is no reason to assume that Dvornikov was selected specifically for his unique skills or experience to lead the war effort. Nor is there any reason to assume that the leadership of the Russian war effort will change even more by abandoning the assault on Kyiv and focusing on the east than it already has. In this update, which we are publishing in addition to our regular assessments of military operations, the authors of the ISW discuss Dvornikov's background and his experience in Syria, the challenges he must face, and what his appointment means for the Russian campaign in Ukraine. HERE is the biography of Alexander Vladimirovich Dvornikov on the ISW website.

The Situation

The Russian forces may have used chemical weapons against Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol, although ISW currently cannot independently verify Ukrainian claims.

In the continued attacks on Severodonetsk, Popasna, and Rubizhne in eastern Ukraine, the Russian forces have failed to make significant progress.

The Russian forces continued to amass troops in the Kharkiv Oblast to reinforce offensive operations on the Izyum axis and conducted several smaller attacks.

UNDERSTANDING WAR online