The battle for Avdiivka could become a real challenge for the new commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, The Financial Times reported.
Syrskyi sent reinforcements to Avdiivka instead of retreating from the eastern Ukrainian city, where soldiers limited fighting amid ammunition shortages. A number of Ukrainian units have already been forced to drastically reduce their fire-fighting capabilities, according to The Financial Times.
His recent appointment as commander-in-chief of the AFU has reportedly provoked a negative reaction in the Ukrainian army, with some military officials condemning his readiness to sacrifice soldiers for tactical gain. They also accused Syrskyi of delaying the withdrawal of forces from Artemivsk when he was in charge of Ukraine’s ground forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the previous commander-in-chief of the AFU, Valery Zaluzhny, and appointed General Oleksandr Syrskyi in his place in early February.
It is reported that in 2023, General Syrskyi commanded the battles for Bakhmut, which were much less successful for the AFU. Then Russia managed to capture the town and its surroundings, and the Ukraine’s counter-offensive launched in May 2023 virtually came to a halt in December. Russian military experts dubbed Syrskyi the Butcher of Bakhmut.
