Who is Valery Gerasimov, Russia's new top commander in Ukraine?

Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, has been appointed as the new commander overseeing Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.

Gerasimov was appointed on Wednesday by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to an announcement by the defence ministry. 

Alongside Putin, Gerasimov is thought to have been involved in a small group that planned Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The group also included Shoigu and Putin's national security adviser Nikolai Patrushev.

He replaces Sergey Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian media.

Surovikin, who was assigned top battlefield commander only last October following a series of Ukrainian counter-offensives that turned the tide of the conflict, will remain Gerasimov's deputy.

The defence ministry said the changes were designed to increase the effectiveness of managing military operations in Ukraine, almost 11 months into the campaign. 

But who is Gerasimov and how will he measure up to "General Armageddon" as commander in Ukraine?

Extensive military background

Army veteran Surovikin was tasked with turning the tide in Ukraine in October as the Russian army faced a series of battlefield defeats.

Two days after Surovikin's nomination, the Russian army signalled a strategic change by unleashing a wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure targets.

But just about a month after his appointment, Russia retreated from the southern city of Kherson, the only regional capital it held. 

Now, as Russia appears to have the upper hand in intense fighting with Ukrainian forces over the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine, Moscow's military has decided to hand the reigns over to the 67-year-old Gerasimov. 

Gerasimov was born to a working-class family in Kazan, a city around 800 kilometres east of Moscow.

He has an extensive background in military schooling: graduating from the Kazan Suvorov Military School and continuing his training at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia.

He rose quickly through the ranks of the Red Army’s various divisions in postings across the Soviet Union before he was appointed the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defence by President Vladimir Putin in November 2012, replacing Nikolay Makarov.

He was also said to have been the general commander of Russian forces and pro-Russian separatists during their victory in the Battle of Ilovaisk in 2014, according to the Security Service of Ukraine. During the battle, over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed.

READ MORE: Russia's Wagner Group chief say troops have taken Ukraine's Soledar

'Gerasimov doctrine'

According to reports, Gerasimov is said to have conceived the "Gerasimov doctrine", which combines military, technological, information, diplomatic, economic, cultural and other tactics to achieve goals.

The Financial Times said this form of "hybrid war" that Gerasimov argued in a 2,000-word essay "has made Russia more of a threat than at any point since the Cold War."

"Western observers were quick to treat his essay as the blueprint for a future Russian hybrid attack against the West," the FT reported, adding US Marine Corps head Robert Neller read his essay three times.

In December 2021, Gerasimov issued a warning to the Ukrainian government against attempting to settle the War in Donbass using force and said Kiev "is not fulfilling the Minsk Agreements".

During the start of the Ukraine operation, the media reported that Gerasimov disappeared from public sight alongside other officials.

But in April 2022, he was sent to Izyum to command the Russian offensive in the region, according to Ukrainian media and confirmed by two US officials.

READ MORE: Widows of troops urge Putin to order 'large-scale mobilisation' for Ukraine

Facing sharp criticism

Gerasimov, like Shoigu, has faced sharp criticism from pro-war military bloggers and international news organisations for Russia's multiple setbacks on the battlefield.

They have both been slammed for their failure to secure victory in a campaign the Kremlin had expected to take just a short time.

"Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff, have both had terrible wars, effectively ruling them out as credible leaders of any move by the military establishment to seize power," writes the US publication Politico.

Gerasimov has also been hit by many sanctions, first by the European Union in April 2014 then shortly after by Canada, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and later Australia due to "Russian interference in Ukraine" 

Recently, the United States added Gerasimov to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

But it remains to be seen what new tactics Gerasimov may bring to Russia's offensive as fighting in Ukraine enters its 322nd day.

READ MORE: Russian Wagner says 500 Ukrainians killed