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ABC News
ABC News
National
Lucy Sweeney, Lucia Stein and Rebecca Armitage

Vladimir Putin sent his 'Butcher of Syria' to tame Ukraine a month ago. Has it brought Russia any closer to victory?

It's been one month since Vladimir Putin appointed Aleksandr Dvornikov, sometimes called 'the Butcher of Syria', to command all forces in Ukraine.  (Kremlin via Reuters: Alexey Nikolsk)

Seven weeks into his disastrous campaign for glory in Ukraine, the Russian President Vladimir Putin knew he was in trouble.

He had dreamed of blitzkrieg, of shock and awe, of Russia's flag fluttering over the capital Kyiv by the weekend. 

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