Putin shuffles top general to Security Council
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Colonel General Andrey Bulyga as deputy secretary of the National Security Council, according to a decree issued on Saturday. The top general has concurrently been relieved of his role as the Russian deputy defense minister, a position he had held since March of last year.
Prior to that, Bulyga had served as deputy commander for Russia’s Western Military District for logistics.
Bulyga will now serve as deputy to the Russian Security Council secretary and former defense minister, Sergey Shoigu.
Putin has appointed Colonel General Aleksandr Sanchik as the new deputy defense minister, according to a corresponding decree, published the same day.
Sanchik has extensive combat experience, having commanded the Russian ‘East’ and ‘South’ joint groups of forces in the Ukraine conflict.
The decorated general also fought in Russia’s counter-terrorist operation in Syria in 2015, the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, and in operations against extremist militant groups in the North Caucasus.
The ‘South’ joint group of forces is currently actively engaged in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic, where it recently encircled the key Ukrainian-held stronghold of Krasnoarmeysk.
