Putin Replaces Center Commander as Russia’s 2026 Donetsk Push Loses Momentum
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Post · Aug 5
Putin Replaces Center Commander as Russia’s 2026 Donetsk Push Loses Momentum
3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Post · Aug 5
Summary
Andrei Ivanayev was put in charge of Russia’s Center group in Donetsk, while Denis Lyamin took over the newly created Unmanned Systems Forces and Pyotr Bolgayev was elevated to command the East group.
The reshuffle removes Valery Solodchuk from frontline command and shifts him to a logistics post as Moscow tries to strengthen key warfighting areas after a marked slowdown in territorial gains.
DeepState said Russia’s goal of occupying all of Donetsk in 2026 is unrealistic at the current pace and may remain out of reach in 2027 if advances do not accelerate.
Russia is concentrating forces on Ukraine’s fortified Kostiantynivka-Druzhkivka-Kramatorsk-Sloviansk line, whose capture would require breaking entrenched defenses and fighting through a large urban belt.
Solodchuk had been accused by Ukraine over Russian troops’ actions during the 2022 Bucha occupation, allegations Moscow denies despite documented evidence from investigators and media.
Can new leaders at Tsentr, Vostok, and the Unmanned Systems Forces materially change Russia’s battlefield performance in Donetsk?
Will Putin’s military reshuffle fix Russia’s biggest wartime weakness—logistics—or just move the same problems to new commanders?
Why is Russia elevating drone specialists and frontline logisticians now, and what does it reveal about lessons from Ukraine?
From 0 to 165,000: How Russia’s Unmanned Systems Forces Are Transforming Modern War and Forcing a Global Drone Arms Race
Overview
Russia’s creation of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) in late 2025 marked a major shift in military doctrine, driven by the proven effectiveness of drones in Ukraine and inspired by Ukraine’s earlier establishment of its own drone branch. To counter intensifying Ukrainian strikes and overcome early war challenges with ad-hoc drone units, Russia centralized command, ramped up production, and launched aggressive recruitment targeting students and gamers. This rapid expansion, supported by training partnerships with China and adaptation of civilian AI models due to sanctions, has come at a high human cost, with over 1,000 Russian drone operators killed. The resulting surge in drone warfare has exposed severe economic and operational asymmetries, as seen when low-cost Russian drones forced NATO to deploy expensive manned aircraft, highlighting a new era where affordable, mass-produced unmanned systems are reshaping global military balance.