Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has relieved his top general, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, in a major shake-up of the country's war strategy, as the conflict with Russia enters its third year and Ukraine faces ammunition shortages. and personal.
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The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, put an end to speculation this Thursday, February 8, by making official the relief of the head of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, an immensely respected general in Ukraine, who accepted his dismissal in a conciliatory tone and made a called to “adapt to the new realities” on the ground after two years of Russian invasion.
In a post on ““The time has come for such a renewal,” Zelensky declared.
The Ukrainian president appointed Colonel General Oleksandr Sirski, until now head of the Ukrainian Land Forces, as director of the Army. Sirski, 58, has participated since 2013 in the Ukrainian Army's efforts to adopt NATO standards.
Today, I made the decision to renew the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
I am grateful to General Zaluzhnyi for two years of defense. I appreciate every victory we have achieved together, thanks to all the Ukrainian warriors who are heroically carrying this war on… pic.twitter.com/GBj9gBI0vT
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2024
Zaluzhnyi, in a Telegram message, said he accepted that “everyone must change and adapt to new realities” and that he agreed that there is a “need to change approaches and strategy” in war.
The statement came after several days of speculation, fueled by local media reports, that Zelensky was going to remove Zaluzhnyi, in the most far-reaching reshuffle of the military leadership since the US's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. of Russia, on February 24, 2022.
Ukraine's problems with ammunition and personnel They add to the failure of the counteroffensive last summer.
The reasons for the change
Zaluzhnyi is a soldier highly appreciated by foreign troops and military personnel. Some analysts have warned that his departure could cause unwanted discomfort, potentially driving a wedge between the Ukrainian military and politicians and fueling uncertainty among kyiv's Western allies.
Positions along the 1,500 kilometer front line have barely changed during the winter, although Kremlin forces have maintained their attacks at some points. Faced with the expected shortage of Western weapons, Ukraine has reinforced its defenses, while Moscow has put its economy on a war footing to provide more strength to its Army.
Disagreements within the Ukrainian leadership came to light on January 29 with rumors that Zaluzhnyi was going to be dismissed. Zelensky's office and the Defense Ministry denied the rumours, but the reports fueled expectations that he was about to be dismissed.
Tensions had been revealed between Zaluzhnyi and Zelensky – arguably the two most prominent figures in the Ukrainian struggle – after the long-awaited counteroffensive failed to meet its goal of penetrating Russia's deep defenses. kyiv's Western allies had provided Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of military hardware to help it succeed.
Months later, amid signs of war fatigue in the West, Zaluzhnyi described the conflict as a “stalemate,” just as Zelensky argued in foreign capitals that the new weaponry had been vital.
Zelensky declared late last year that he had rejected the army's request to mobilize up to 500,000 people, demanding more details on how it would be paid.
Born into a Soviet military family, Zaluzhnyi is credited with modernizing the Ukrainian Army along NATO lines. He assumed command seven months before the full-scale Russian invasion.
With AP
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