By Ukraine’s president has sacked the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, many speculated that things were going wrong between the General and the President and the General,but few thought that THE General would be removed in between a burning war.
Battle-hardened Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi was announced as his replacement in a presidential decree.
It is the biggest change to Ukraine’s military leadership since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the high command needed to be “renewed” and that Gen Zaluzhnyi could “remain on the team”.
Gen Zaluzhnyi is a popular general trusted by Ukrainian soldiers and the public, and has been something of a national hero.
His recent approval ratings have been higher than those of Mr Zelensky.Some speculate this may be a reason for the rift to widen between the two.
This is what the President had to say on X
I met with General Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
I thanked him for the two years of defending Ukraine.
We discussed the renewal that the Armed Forces of Ukraine require.
We also discussed who could be part of the renewed leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The time for such a renewal is now.
I proposed to General Zaluzhnyi to remain part of the team.
We will definitely win!
Glory to Ukraine!
“Snow Leopard”
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky, the man President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has chosen to lead Ukraine’s military, has played a key role in some of the country’s biggest victories in its war with Russia, including overseeing the successful defence of the capital, Kyiv, in the early days of the invasion.
The choice of Syrsky as commander-in-chief is hardly a surprise because few in the Ukrainian military have the experience and know-how to be able to fill the shoes of his popular predecessor, General Valerii Zaluzhny.
In 2014, he commanded Ukrainian troops fighting a Moscow-backed insurgency in the eastern Donetsk region and was given the call sign “Snow Leopard”
