Andrey Mordvichev
{{Short description|Russian general}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{family name hatnote|Nikolayevich|Mordvichev|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix=Hero of the Russian Federation Colonel General
| name = Andrey Nikolayevich Mordvichev
| native_name = Андрей Николаевич Мордвичёв
| native_name_lang = ru
| image = Морвичëв Андрей.jpg
| caption = Mordvichev in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|1|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pavlodar, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
| death_date =
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates =
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = {{RUS}}
| branch = {{army|RUS}}
| serviceyears = 1997–present
| rank = Colonel general
| servicenumber =
| unit =
| commands = Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces
Central Military District
8th Combined Arms Army
| battles = {{tree list}}
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- {{nowrap|Siege of Mariupol}}
- {{nowrap|Battle of Avdiivka}}
- {{nowrap|Pokrovsk offensive}}
{{tree list/end}}
| battles_label =
| awards = {{Hero of Russia}} (2024)
| alma_mater = {{ubl|Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School|Combined Arms Academy|Military Academy of the General Staff}}
}}
Andrey Nikolayevich Mordvichev ({{langx|ru|Андрей Николаевич Мордвичёв}}; born 14 January 1976) is a Russian colonel general who has been Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces since 2025. He previously commanded the Central Military District and the "Center" group of forces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine from 2023 to 2025. Before that he was the deputy commander of the Central Military District from 2022 to 2023, and notably commanded Russian forces in the Siege of Mariupol during that time. For his achievements he was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Генерал-полковник Мордвичев назначен главнокомандующим Сухопутными войсками ВС РФ |trans-title=Colonel General Mordvichev appointed commander-in-chief of the Ground Forces |date=15 May 2025 |language=ru |work=Izvestia |url=https://iz.ru/1887012/2025-05-15/general-polkovnik-mordvichev-naznachen-glavnokomanduiushchim-sukhoputnymi-voiskami-vs-rf }}
Early life and prewar service
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.{{Cite news |last=Shipilov |first=Yu. V. |date=March 2010 |title=Выстрел "Нового" Облика |language=ru |trans-title=A shot of the "New Look" |work=Armeysky sbornik |url=https://army.ric.mil.ru/upload/site175/eHpLIuUvDP.pdf}} Mordvichev commanded the 4th Separate Guards Tank Brigade from 2011 and the 28th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Кадровые изменения в командном составе Вооружённых Сил |url=http://kremlin.ru/acts/news/11004 |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=Президент России |language=ru}}{{Cite news |date=20 February 2014 |title="Противника уничтожить!" Куйвашев посетил 28-ю мотострелковую бригаду и вспомнил о ее миротворческих миссиях |language=ru |work=Nakanune.RU |url=https://www.nakanune.ru/news/2014/02/20/22342001/ |access-date=5 June 2022}} He was promoted to major general on 12 June 2013.{{Cite web |date=2013-06-12 |title=Указ о присвоении воинских званий, высших специальных званий и классных чинов |url=http://kremlin.ru/acts/news/18329 |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Президент России |language=ru}} 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. 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.{{Cite web |title=Мордвичев Андрей Николаевич |trans-title=Mordvichev, Andrey Nikolayevich |url=https://structure.mil.ru/structure/okruga/centre/head.htm |access-date=6 July 2023 |language=ru}}
Russo-Ukrainian War
He commanded the army during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where Ukrainian sources falsely claimed he was killed in an 18 March airstrike on an airfield in Chornobaivka. 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. However, Mordvichev's claimed death was not confirmed by Russian sources,{{Cite web |last=Shoaib |first=Alia |date=2022-03-19 |title=A 5th Russian general has been killed in attack on an army base, Ukraine officials claim |url=https://africa.businessinsider.com/news/a-5th-russian-general-has-been-killed-in-attack-on-an-army-base-ukraine-officials/d33v544 |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=Business Insider Africa |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Bancroft |first1=Holly |date=19 March 2022 |title=Fifth Russian general killed as 'planes and helicopters shot down', Ukraine claims |language=en |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-fifth-russian-general-killed-b2039617.html |access-date=19 March 2022}} and on 28 March, Russian television broadcast images that showed Ramzan Kadyrov meeting Mordvichev in Mariupol.{{cite web |date=28 March 2022 |title=Chechen Leader Travels to Mariupol: Reports |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/28/chechen-leader-travels-to-mariupol-reports-a77113 |website=The Moscow Times}}{{cite web |date=28 March 2022 |title=Deaths of generals expose Russia's troubles in Ukraine |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220328-deaths-of-generals-expose-russia-s-troubles-in-ukraine |website=France24}}
Later in 2022, Mordvichev was appointed deputy commander of the Southern Military District. 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.{{Cite web |last=Child |first=David |title=Ukraine war set to dominate Munich Security Conference |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/2/17/russia-ukraine-live-ukraine-war-to-dominate-munich-conference |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}} As of April 2023 he is commander of the Center Grouping of Forces in Ukraine.{{Cite news |last=Tikhonov |first=Aleksandr |date=19 April 2023 |title=Всесторонняя оценка обстановки |language=ru |trans-title=A through assessment of the situation |work=Krasnaya Zvezda |url=http://redstar.ru/vsestoronnyaya-otsenka-obstanovki/}}
On September 7, Mordvichev was promoted to colonel general by a presidential decree.{{Cite web |last=Hird |first=Karolina |last2=Bailey |first2=Riley |last3=Mappes |first3=Grace |last4=Evans |first4=Angelica |last5=Clark |first5=Mason |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 7, 2023|url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-7-2023 |access-date=2023-09-08|language=en}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/russian-general-admits-ukraine-just-stepping-stone-invade-europe-1825776|title=Russian General Admits Ukraine Just a 'Stepping Stone' to Invade Europe|magazine=Newsweek|first=Jason|last= Lemon|date= September 9, 2023|access-date=September 12, 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/russian-military-general-warns-the-war-will-not-stop-here-hints-at-europe-invasion/news-story/54c1321ad867883bf6694ad995a30108|title=Russian military general warns ‘the war will not stop here’, hints at Europe invasion|first=Alex|last=Blair|website=news.com.au| date= September 11, 2023|access-date=September 12, 2023}}
In February 2024, Mordvichev was congratulated by president Vladimir Putin for capturing Avdiivka as the commander-in-charge.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-c31eb7439d1983532a3f940061efe6e7|work=Associated Press|title=Russia says it has taken Ukraine's city of Avdiivka after a Ukrainian troop withdrawal|date=17 February 2024|access-date=17 February 2024|archive-date=17 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217022845/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-c31eb7439d1983532a3f940061efe6e7|url-status=live}} In May 2025, he was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces.{{Cite web |title=Мордвичёв назначен главкомом Сухопутных войск вместо Салюкова |trans-title=Mordvichev appointed commander-in-chief of the Ground Forces in the place of Salyukov |date=15 May 2025 |language=ru |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.svoboda.org/a/general-salyukov-snyat-s-dolzhnosti-glavkoma-suhoputnyh-voysk/33415253.html }}
Decorations
References
{{Reflist|refs=
{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstaffreports/2022/03/18/live-fighting-between-russian-and-ukrainian-forces-reaches-mariupol-city-center-mayor-says/?sh=6fa630ba7ee1 |title=Ukraine Claims Another Russian General Died In Southern Ukrainian Battle |work=Forbes |date=19 March 2022 |access-date=19 March 2022 |author=Joe Walsh}}
{{cite web|language=et|url=https://www.err.ee/1608537649/mariupolis-kaivad-tanavalahingud-kiievi-all-on-runnakusuunad-blokeeritud |title=Mariupolis käivad tänavalahingud, Kiievi all on rünnakusuunad blokeeritud |trans-title=Street fighting in Mariupol, blocked offensive routes under Kyiv |publisher=ERR |date=2022-03-19 |access-date=2022-03-19 |quote=}}
{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://theins.ru/news/249409 |title=Советник Зеленского: «По предварительным данным, в результате удара ВСУ убит генерал-лейтенант РФ Андрей Мордвичев» |trans-title=Zelensky's adviser: "According to preliminary reports, Russian Lieutenant General Andrey Mordvichev was killed in an attack by the AFU".|website=The Insider|accessdate=2022-03-18|quote=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.}}
}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Andrei Sychevoi}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army|years=2021–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Gennady Anashkin}}
{{s-bef|before=Aleksandr Linkov
{{small|Acting}}}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the Central Military District|years=2023–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Valery Solodchuk}}
{{s-bef|before=Oleg Salyukov}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces|years=2025–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Leadership of the Russian Ground Forces}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mordvichev, Andrey}}
Category:Russian colonel generals
Category:Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Russia)
Category:Russian military personnel of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia alumni
Category:Recipients of the Order of Alexander Nevsky
Category:Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of Russia alumni
Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class
Category:Recipients of the Order of Courage (Russia)