Putin Announces Reshuffling of Top Military Leadership

Aug. 5, 2026 Putin meets with top Defense Ministry officials at the Kremlin. kremlin.ru President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a major reshuffle across the top ranks of Russia’s military, appointing new operational commanders in Ukraine, a unified logistics chief and a head for the newly established drone warfare branch. “We’re continuing to refine the Defense Ministry’s organizational structure to keep pace with the needs and lessons learned from the special military operation,” Putin said in a televised Kremlin meeting, using the official term for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As part of the reshuffle, the president appointed Colonel General Denis Lyamin to head Russia’s newly established Unmanned Systems Forces. Putin also reorganized frontline leadership in eastern and southern Ukraine, naming Colonel General Andrei Ivanayev commander of the “Center” group of forces and Lieutenant General Pyotr Bolgarev commander of the “East” group. Putin also reorganized leadership within Russia’s operational fronts in eastern and southern Ukraine, naming Colonel General Andrei Ivanayev commander of the “Center” group of forces and Lieutenant General Pyotr Bolgarev commander of the “East” group of forces. He described the “Center” grouping’s objective to capture the entire eastern Donetsk region as “critical and high-stakes,” while praising the “East” grouping for its “dynamic and aggressive” advance across southern Donetsk and partially occupied Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, former “Center” commander Colonel General Valery Solodchuk was appointed Deputy Defense Minister, overseeing rear support and logistical services and unifying supply and transportation operations under his command. “No one understands what our troops, soldiers, and commanders need on the ground today better than frontline district and task force commanders like you,” Putin told Solodchuk. Solodchuk is listed as a wanted war criminal by Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency, which accuses his forces of committing war crimes during the early 2022 attack on Kyiv. The reshuffle follows Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov’s launch of the military’s largest administrative reform in more than a decade. Read more about: Defense Ministry , Putin Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Military Reveals More Details of Alleged Drone Attack on Putin’s Residence The Defense Ministry claimed more than half of the drones involved were destroyed hundreds of kilometers from the Valdai residence. 3 Min read Putin Authorizes Call-Up of Military Reservists to Guard Critical Infrastructure The military will summon members of its mobilization reserve next year for “special” assemblies aimed at protecting critical infrastructure. 1 Min read Putin Claims Russia Is Recruiting Nearly Twice as Many Soldiers as Ukraine Speaking at a Kremlin meeting on economic development, Putin claimed that up to 60,000 people “volunteer” to join the Russian Armed Forces every month... 1 Min read Putin Promotes ‘Cousin’ in Latest Military Shake-Up Anna Tsivilyova, the reported daughter of Putin's cousin, was named to a top Defense Ministry post. 2 Min read