Russia replaces top general after mobilization call

Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev has been appointed Russia’s deputy defense minister in charge of “material and technical support,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Mizintsev is replacing Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, who the Defense Ministry said is moving to an unspecified position.

The reshuffle comes three days after President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial call-up of reservists to bolster Russia’s military operation in Ukraine

The 60-year-old Mizintsev led Russia’s top military coordination agency, the National Defense Management Center, for eight years and oversaw the delivery of humanitarian aid during Moscow’s campaign against militants in Syria.

After Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February, Mizintsev began delivering briefings on humanitarian matters on the ground. He was also in charge of organizing the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol in March.

Bulgakov has been involved with the military since the 1970s. In 2016, he was awarded the ‘Hero of Russia’ star, the country’s highest military honor.