SINGAPORE - Russia has appointed General Alexander Dvornikov to oversee what President Vladimir Putin calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
Thus far, by all accounts, things have not gone as smoothly for the Russians as they had hoped.
Here is what is known about the new general.
Who is he?
The 60-year-old has held several senior positions in the Russian military, including army commander of the Far Eastern Military District.
He served in Chechnya in the 1990s. In 2015, he was appointed to lead military operations in Syria, becoming the first Russian commander to do so.
Since 2016, he has overseen Russia's southern military district, which includes Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula seized by Russia in 2014.
Why has he been appointed?
Russia's initial efforts to capture Kyiv and the rest of Ukraine have not borne fruit for a variety of reasons, including stronger than expected resistance by Ukrainian forces and, according to some analysts, a lack of a single overall commander.
Moscow said it is now refocusing its efforts on capturing Ukraine's south and east, where General Dvornikov was already in command.
According to an assessment by the US-based think-tank, the Institute for the Study of War, "the designation of Dvornikov as the overall commander makes sense now given that the announced Russian main efforts are almost all in his area of responsibility".
What did he do in Syria?
2015 was a crucial year in the conflict in Syria because President Bashar al-Assad looked as if he might not win against anti-government rebel groups that formed after the uprising in the country in 2011. Just as Mr Assad's grip on power appeared tenuous, Russia intervened to provide support to its long-time ally.
With Gen Dvornikov as commander overseeing the campaign, Russian forces carried out widespread and indiscriminate bombardments of Syrian civilians, neighbourhoods and hospitals in tandem with Mr Assad's forces, turning the war in the Syrian leader's favour.
Gen Dvornikov was honoured as a "hero of the Russian Federation" in 2016 for his performance in Syria.
What now in Ukraine?
The Kremlin will likely want him to deliver some form of success by May 9, a national holiday in Russia commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.
Victory Day, as it is called, is one of Russia's most important holidays. It features a military parade and Mr Putin would review troops beside the Kremlin and give a speech on Russia's capabilities.
Given the significance of the event, the Russian leader would want to draw parallels between the Soviet Union's victory and his own avowed aim to "de-Nazify" Ukraine.
Many in the West, including US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, now expect Gen Dvornikov to unleash discriminate attacks, including on Ukrainian civilians, to achieve Russian aims, just as he did in Syria.
