ISW: New commander appointed for Russia’s “Dnepr” Forces Group

Russian military bloggers have claimed that Airborne Forces (VDV) Commander Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky replaced Colonel General Oleg Makarevich as the commander of the Russian “Dnepr” Group of Forces operating in the Kherson direction. 

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has not announced or confirmed reports of Makarevich’s dismissal at the time of this publication and is unlikely to do so given its tendency to regularly conceal high-profile military command changes, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

According to an ISW report, one Russian blogger claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Makarevich during his recent visit to the Southern Military District (SMD) headquarters in Rostov-on-Don on October 19.

The blogger also claimed that Teplinsky was effectively demoted from his position as deputy overall theatre commander, although it is unclear if Teplinsky still held this position.

“A Kremlin-affiliated military blogger claimed that rumours about Makarevich’s dismissal emerged over the last week and that his removal was “long overdue” due to his handling of the military situation in the Kherson direction. The blogger added that Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Colonel General Alexei Kim effectively commands the entire Joint Grouping of Russian Forces in Ukraine.[28] ISW cannot independently verify these claims,” the ISW said.

As ISW analysts said, Makarevich’s reported dismissal indicates that the Kremlin or the Russian military command may be sufficiently worried and sceptical of his ability to repel recent larger-than-usual Ukrainian ground operations in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast. 

“One military blogger claimed that Ukrainian “bridgeheads” on the east bank of Kherson Oblast are setting a dangerous precedent and that Russian forces under Makarevich’s command were unable to adequately counter and respond to Ukrainian threats.

“Makarevich’s opponents, alternatively, may have successfully convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin of Makarevich’s failure to command the Kherson direction against the backdrop of intensified Ukrainian ground attacks,” the report added.