Surovikin was awarded the Order of St. George, third class, for his courage, bravery and dedication. Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of the Russian Airborne Troops, also received a high military award from the Russian President.
On October 8, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu appointed Surovikin as the commander of the Russian Joint Group of Forces in the zone of a special military operation.
Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, following calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In response, Western countries and their allies have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and ramped up their financial and military support of Kiev.