Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced the commander of the Eastern Military District: Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov became the commander. As in the case of the change of the commander of the Western Military District, information about this was found in the database of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (EGRLE), informs RBC.

Later, the fact of Muradov’s appointment confirmed head of Dagestan Sergey Melikov. He called this decision “correct”, noting that military education and combat experience gained in Chechnya and Syria will help Muradov “brilliantly cope” with the tasks. Melikov described the general as a “leader, strategist and courageous fighter” who “makes the right decisions” and goes on the attack first.

At the same time, it is not very clear who exactly was replaced by Muradov. On the website For the time being, Colonel-General Alexander Chaiko is listed as the commander of the Air Defense Forces of the Ministry of Defense. However, from the data of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities shouldthat he was dismissed back in July of this year, and until October 5, the post was occupied by Colonel General Gennady Zhidko. The department itself did not report any changes.

“BBC Russian Service” earlier wrotethat Muradov, a native of Dagestan, is the owner of two Orders of Courage received during the Chechen wars. In 2017 he was awarded the title of Hero of Russia. He also commanded the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union imposed personal sanctions against Muradov. In the summer of 2022, the Ministry of Defense reported that the general was participating in the war, leading the Vostok group.

The Eastern Military District is the most powerful in terms of combat strength in Russia. It includes four military formations: the Far Eastern Military District, the Pacific Fleet, the eastern part of the Siberian Military District, as well as the Air Force and Air Defense Command. The headquarters is located in Khabarovsk.

On October 2, it became known about the appointment of a new commander of the Western Military District: the post was taken by Major General Roman Berdnikov, a graduate of the Kyiv Suvorov Military School, who in the past commanded a Russian group in Syria. Earlier, the Western Military District was headed by Colonel General Alexander Zhuravlev.

The reshuffle followed another defeat in Ukraine: the Russian military was squeezed out of Liman, a key logistics point in the Donetsk region, through which the troops were supplied.

The surrender of the city provoked a violent reaction from the “party of war” and provoked a search for “scapegoats” in the ranks of the Ministry of Defense. For the first time, a specific surname was heard: the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, proposed to demote to ordinary general Alexander Lapin, commander of the Center group in Ukraine. He was supported by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who had previously admitted connection with Wagner PMC. Also, work began on reviewing personnel in the General Staff, and even discussing the change of its head Valery Gerasimov, spoke Member of the State Duma Defense Committee Viktor Zavarzin.

The fact that Putin decided to take command in his own hands after the failure of the army on the Ukrainian front was repeatedly reported by Western intelligence. The practice that began after the defeat near Kyiv continues to this day. CNN sources noted that such managerial tactics indicate the incapacity of Russian command structures.