Major General Linkov appointed interim commander of Russian army’s ‘Center’ grouping in Ukraine

Major General Alexander Linkov, head of the organizational and mobilization directorate of Russia’s Central Military District, was appointed interim head of command for the district.

According to media reports, Linkov’s predecessor, Colonel General Alexander Lapin, was removed from that post, following Ramzan Kadyrov’s serial criticisms of his command. Some sources claim that Lapin is only taking a three-week vacation; others confirm that Lapin did submit a resignation and will not be returning to army command.

• Alexander Lapin first took command in the Central Military District in 2017. ‘Center,’ the Russian military grouping he headed in Ukraine, was involved in occupying the Luhansk region. Last summer, President Putin awarded a Hero of Russia title and an iconic “golden star” to Lapin.
• In October, the Chechnya’s Head Ramzan Kadyrov launched a campaign of public criticism targeting Lapin and his command. Kadyrov blamed Lapin for the Russian surrender of Lyman, as well as other failures. Kadyrov’s attacks were seconded by Evgeny Prigozhin, founder of the notorious Wagner Group.

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