Former "peacekeeper" now commands Russian forces in Ukraine From Karabakh to Donbas

The Russian group of troops "Vostok" (East) engaged in the "military operation" in Ukraine is commanded by Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov.

He was received by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who inspected the Vostok group, according to a press release from the military department, Kommersant writes.

“At the command post, the commander of the Vostok group, Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov, reported to the head of the Russian military department on the current situation and the progress in fulfilling the assigned combat missions to defeat enemy forces in the area of responsibility,” the Defense Ministry said.

During the inspection, Shoigu ordered the Vostok group to "cover the Donbas against shelling from Ukraine." Other details of the meeting were not revealed by the ministry.

Rustam Muradov has been the Deputy Commander of the Southern Military District since 2018. In 2016, he was Russia's representative at the Center for Control and Coordination of Ceasefire and Stabilization of the Contact Line (JCCC) in Donbas. In 2017, he worked as a military adviser in Syria, for which he received the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. From December 2017 to December 2018, he commanded the 2nd Guards Red Flag Army of the Central Military District. On February 20, 2020, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. He also commanded a Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. At the end of February 2022, he came under EU sanctions.