After weeks of rumors, the Ukrainian president confirmed this Thursday the dismissal of his army chief. In disagreement with Valeri Zalouzhny, the latter was replaced by General Oleksandr Syrsky.
As the war in Ukraine will soon enter its third year, the Ukrainian president confirmed this Thursday the appointment of a new head of the armed forces. General Oleksandr Syrsky, 57, therefore succeeds the much appreciated Valeri Zaloujny with whom Volodymyr Zelensky had had stormy relations for several weeks.
The new head of the army was until now the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces.
After thanking Valeri Zalouzhny _”_for every victory we have won together”the Ukrainian president explained that he had with him _”_a frank discussion about what needs to change in the military” which resulted in the departure of the army chief.
However, the dismissed general was offered to continue being part of the country’s leadership team. It is unclear at this stage whether he accepted this proposal.
In addition to the appointment of a new High Commander, Volodymyr Zelensky also announced other upcoming appointments. Brigadier Generals Andriy Hnatov, Mykhailo Drapaty, Ihor Skybyuk and Colonels Pavlo Palisa and Vadym Sukharevskyi “all are being considered for high positions in the army and will serve under Ukraine’s most experienced commander”indicated the president.
“I want our soldiers in Robotyn or Avdiivka, the general staff and the chief of staff to have the same vision of the war” he further emphasized. And to conclude: “L“The year 2024 can only be a success for Ukraine if we make effective changes to the basis of our defense, namely the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian president and his now ex-army chief had publicly clashed over the meager progress made by the Ukrainian army in its counter-offensive. In an interview with The Economist Valeri Zaloujny admitted to being “at an impasse”. “There will probably be no deep and beautiful breakthrough,” he regretted.
Two days later, the Ukrainian president replied: “We are not at an impasse”, adding that there were “different visions” of the battlefield.
The two men had also clashed around the place of Bakhmut in the counter-offensive, several observers suspected, the soldier wanting to withdraw and the president wanting to continue the assaults against this town which had become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.
The head of the army had above all called for an increase in the massive recruitment of new soldiers, a request rejected by Volodymyr Zelensky.