Andrey Mordvichev

Andrey Nikolayevich Mordvichev
Mordvichev in 2023
Native name
Андрей Николаевич Мордвичёв
Born (1976-01-14) 14 January 1976 (age 48)
Pavlodar, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Russia
Service / branch Russian Ground Forces
Years of service1994–present
RankColonel general
CommandsCentral Military District
Battles / wars
Awards

Andrey Nikolayevich Mordvichev (Russian: Андрей Николаевич Мордвичёв; born 14 January 1976) is a Russian colonel general who is the commander of the Central Military District and the Center Grouping of Forces in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2024.

Early life and prewar service

[edit]

Andrey Nikolayevich Mordvichev was born on 14 January 1976 in Pavlodar in Kazakh SSR (present day Kazakhstan). He graduated from the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School in 1997 and the Combined Arms Academy in 2006. In 2010 he was deputy commander of the 5th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade with the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1] Mordvichev commanded the 4th Separate Guards Tank Brigade from 2011 and the 28th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in 2014.[2][3] He was promoted to major general on 12 June 2013.[4] After graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 2016, Mordvichev was appointed deputy commander of the 68th Army Corps. In 2017 he was appointed chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army.[5] In 2019 he was appointed chief of staff of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District. Mordvichev was appointed army commander in 2021.[6]

Russo-Ukrainian War

[edit]

He commanded the army during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where Ukrainian sources falsely claimed he was killed[7][8][9][10] in an 18 March airstrike on an airfield in Chornobaivka.[7][11] This would have made him Russia's sixth general to be killed in the invasion and the most highly ranked casualty of the war up to that point.[12][11] However, Mordvichev's claimed death was not confirmed by Russian sources,[13][14] and on 28 March, Russian television broadcast images that showed Ramzan Kadyrov meeting Mordvichev in Mariupol.[15][16]

Later in 2022, Mordvichev was appointed deputy commander of the Southern Military District.[6] Since 17 February 2023, he has commanded Russia's Central Military District, having replaced the promoted Colonel-General Aleksandr Lapin due to the previous territorial losses during the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.[17] As of April 2023 he is commander of the Center Grouping of Forces in Ukraine.[18]

On September 7, Mordvichev was promoted to colonel general by a presidential decree.[19] According to an interview he gave at the end of July 2023 with the state-run Russia-1 television channel, Mordvichev views the invasion of Ukraine as a mere "stepping stone" to further conflict with Eastern Europe.[20][21]

In February 2024, Mordvichev was congratulated by president Vladimir Putin for capturing Avdiivka as the commander-in-charge.[22]

Decorations

[edit]

Mordvichev has received the following decorations:[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Shipilov, Yu. V. (March 2010). "Выстрел "Нового" Облика" [A shot of the "New Look"] (PDF). Armeysky sbornik (in Russian).
  2. ^ "Кадровые изменения в командном составе Вооружённых Сил". Президент России (in Russian). Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  3. ^ ""Противника уничтожить!" Куйвашев посетил 28-ю мотострелковую бригаду и вспомнил о ее миротворческих миссиях". Nakanune.RU (in Russian). 20 February 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Указ о присвоении воинских званий, высших специальных званий и классных чинов". Президент России (in Russian). 12 June 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  5. ^ Татьяна СОЛОВОВА (8 May 2018). "Парад Победы 2018 в Новосибирске: Впервые в строю - «Панцирь», «саушки» и квадроциклы" [Victory Parade 2018 in Novosibirsk: For the first time in formation - "Panzer", "sauskas" and quad bikes]. nsk.kp.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Мордвичев Андрей Николаевич" [Mordvichev, Andrey Nikolayevich] (in Russian). Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Советник Зеленского: «По предварительным данным, в результате удара ВСУ убит генерал-лейтенант РФ Андрей Мордвичев»" [Zelensky's adviser: "According to preliminary reports, Russian Lieutenant General Andrey Mordvichev was killed in an attack by the AFU".]. The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 18 March 2022. 16 марта президент Украины Владимир Зеленский заявил, что российские войска в Украине продолжают нести значительные потери. По его словам, в частности, был убит один генерал.
  8. ^ "Mariupolis käivad tänavalahingud, Kiievi all on rünnakusuunad blokeeritud" [Street fighting in Mariupol, blocked offensive routes under Kyiv] (in Estonian). ERR. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  9. ^ Murray, Graeme; Stewart, Will (19 March 2022). "Fifth Russian general killed by defending Ukraine forces since war began". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  10. ^ Joe Walsh (19 March 2022). "Ukraine Claims Another Russian General Died In Southern Ukrainian Battle". Forbes. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Russian commanders killed in Putin's war as Ukraine invasion 'not going to plan'". The Independent. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  12. ^ Cole, Brendan (19 March 2022). "Ukraine claims to have killed fifth Russian general since start of the war". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  13. ^ Shoaib, Alia (19 March 2022). "A 5th Russian general has been killed in attack on an army base, Ukraine officials claim". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  14. ^ Bancroft, Holly (19 March 2022). "Fifth Russian general killed as 'planes and helicopters shot down', Ukraine claims". The Independent. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Chechen Leader Travels to Mariupol: Reports". The Moscow Times. 28 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Deaths of generals expose Russia's troubles in Ukraine". France24. 28 March 2022.
  17. ^ Child, David. "Ukraine war set to dominate Munich Security Conference". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  18. ^ Tikhonov, Aleksandr (19 April 2023). "Всесторонняя оценка обстановки" [A through assessment of the situation]. Krasnaya Zvezda (in Russian).
  19. ^ Hird, Karolina; Bailey, Riley; Mappes, Grace; Evans, Angelica; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 7, 2023". Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  20. ^ Lemon, Jason (9 September 2023). "Russian General Admits Ukraine Just a 'Stepping Stone' to Invade Europe". Newsweek. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  21. ^ Blair, Alex (11 September 2023). "Russian military general warns 'the war will not stop here', hints at Europe invasion". news.com.au. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Russia says it has taken Ukraine's city of Avdiivka after a Ukrainian troop withdrawal". Associated Press. 17 February 2024. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.