Russia names new commander amid setbacks in war against Ukraine

• Surovikin, who will replace General Alexander Dvornikov, was put on a sanctions list by the European Union the day before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The big picture: Surovikin's appointment comes as Russian forces have suffered setbacks as Ukraine continues to make gains and reclaim territories.

• Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in late August, recapturing multiple cities that serve as key logistics and transportation hubs with the most recent one being Lyman in northern Donetsk, Axios' Jacob Knutson reports.
• Ukrainian forces have also made advancements in the southern Kherson region, taking back roughly 200 square miles of territory from Russian troops since the start of October.

The latest: On Saturday, the Kremlin suffered another setback after a massive fireball damaged a key bridge that links the Crimean Peninsula and the Russian mainland, Axios’ Herb Scribner reports.

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