MOSCOW. Nov 13 (Interfax) - Lieut. Gen. Alexander Chaiko, deputy head of the Russian General Staff, has become the commander of the Russian forces in Syria, replacing Airborne Troops Commander Andrei Serdyukov in this post, the newspaper Vedomosti reported.
"The commander of the Russian forces in Syria has been replaced: Airborne Troops Commander Col. Gen. Andrei Serdyukov, who held this post since April, has been replaced with Lieut. Gen. Alexander Chaiko, deputy head of the Russian General Staff," the paper said.
A source close to the Defense Ministry said the staff reshuffle had taken place in September and was connected to the end of Serdyukov's tour of duty.
The Russian military earlier confirmed the return of the commander to Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry's information department reported last week that Col. Gen. Serdyukov had visited the guard Ivanovo airborne forces unit during a working visit.
The Airborne Troops commander had headed the Russian group of forces since April 2019. Lieut. Gen. Chaiko, who replaced him, earlier served in Syria as well. He headed a headquarters at the beginning of the campaign.
"His main task is now work associated with the observance of the Russian-Turkish agreements in northeastern Syria, where the area of the Turkish Operation Peace Spring is located," Vedomosti reported, citing a source close to the Russian General Staff.