Putin appoints new commander-in-chief of ground forces amid Istanbul talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed a new commander-in-chief of the ground forces amid the meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.

Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev will take command of the Russian ground troops in Ukraine, Pravda reported.  Mordvichev was the commander who oversaw the siege of Mariupol, the seizure of Avdiivka, and the ongoing Pokrovsk offensive.

At the age of 49, he is one of the youngest senior officers in the Russian military. He was awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation title in 2024.

News of Mordvichev's appointment comes as delegations meet in Istanbul, albeit without Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.