Russia appoints combat generals to command its new army at the border with Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry has selected the commanders of the Southern Military District’s 8th combined-arms army, which is stationed on the border with Ukraine. The leadership has been reinforced with combat generals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a closed decree appointing the officers to command the 8th Army, and all the organization steps are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, after which the 8th army will begin carrying out its task in full.
The officers in command of the 8th army were chosen very carefully. Notably, attention was given to the practical combat experience of the officers, giving preference to those who had proven themselves in combat.
According to journalists, together with the 49th and 58th armies (stationed in Stavropol and Vladikavkaz respectively), the 8th army is supposed to provide security on the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine’s intelligence services have accused several of the appointed generals of commanding Donbas militants. In July 2015 information came out that General Kuzovlev was commanding Russian regular forces in the Luhansk region, but the general himself denied it.
General Tsekov was accused of commanding the 2nd brigade of LPR separatists. General Khudyakov, according to Ukrainian intelligence, supervised the shipment of weapons to the Donbas, and the Ukrainian media identified General Krasina as the commander of the 2nd Army Corps of the LPR separatists.