Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is thinking of sacking the country’s top military officer as part of a wider leadership shake-up, The Star reports.
Zelensky confirmed in an interview with Italian broadcaster RAI TV on Sunday that he was thinking of ousting General Valery Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. He said he was mulling the move to ensure that the country is still led by people who are “convinced of victory.” Zelensky noted:
“A reset, a new beginning is necessary. The review is not about a single person but about the direction of the country’s leadership. I am thinking about this replacement, but you cannot say here we replaced a single person. When we talk about this, I mean a replacement of a series of state leaders, not just in a single sector like the military. If we want to win, we must all push in the same direction, convinced of victory. We cannot be discouraged, let our arms fall. We must have the right positive energy.”
Zelensky’s comments were his first acknowledgement of Zaluzhny’s possible dismissal. The general’s potential dismissal has already provoked a strong reaction in Ukraine and in the West.
Zaluzhny is highly respected among Ukrainian servicemen and is considered a national hero. Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klytschko criticised the possibility of Zaluzhny’s dismissal. He said that it was thanks to the general’s leadership that “many Ukrainians sincerely trust the armed forces”. Klytschko wrote on social media:
“Today is a moment when politics might prevail over reason and country’s interests.”
It is unclear who might replace Zaluzhny and whether his successor would command the same respect from Ukrainian troops and foreign defence leaders. His dismissal could lead to a drop in morale at a critical moment in the war.
According to Ukrainian and Western media reports, Zelensky asked Zaluzhny to resign last week, but the general refused. Zaluzhny has not publicly commented on these reports.
Tensions between Zaluzhny and the president have been rising since a long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive launched in June with the help of a slew of Western arms failed to produce significant territorial gains, frustrating Western allies.
Ukraine now faces ammunition and personnel shortages, while Russia is on the offensive with relentless strikes. The need for widespread mobilisation to increase the number of Ukrainian troops has reportedly been one of the points of contention between Zelensky and Zaluzhny.
Late last year, Zelensky said he rejected the military’s request for up to 500,000 troops, demanding more details on how the mobilisation would be organised and paid for.
