President Zelensky, on Thursday, Feb. 8, announced the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny.
"I met with General Valerii Zaluzhny. I thanked him for the two years of defending Ukraine," Zelensky said in a video address posted on his social media accounts.
Zaluzhny had led the Ukrainian army since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. He successfully defended against initial Russian attacks and managed to reclaim some of the occupied territories.
Oleksandr Syrsky, the former commander of the Ground Forces, has been appointed as the new commander-in-chief. Zelensky praised Syrsky as "the most experienced Ukrainian commander."
Kyiv Post brings to your attention reactions from public figures regarding these changes in Ukraine's military leadership.
"I trust that the authorities will provide the public with explanations for such changes," Vitali Klitschko, the Mayor of Kyiv
"I am grateful to General Valery Zaluzhny for his service to Ukraine and dedication to protecting our nation. Thanks to him, Ukrainians have placed genuine trust in our Armed Forces, which currently enjoy the highest level of public confidence.
As a combat general during the war, you faced numerous critical moments and made many difficult decisions. I am confident that you will navigate through this challenge with grace...
I trust that the authorities will provide the public with explanations for such changes.
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Especially during ongoing heavy fighting on the front lines and the need to maintain effective cooperation with foreign partners. The unity of our society relies on authorities it can trust."
"The war is changing and requires change," Rustem Umerov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine
"General Valery Zaluzhny had one of the most difficult tasks — to lead the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the Great War with Russia...Our soldiers repelled the invasion of the aggressor, defended our statehood, and continued to defend our independence every day.
But the war does not remain the same. The war is changing and requires change. The fighting of 2022, 2023 and 2024 are three different realities. The year 2024 will bring new changes that we must be ready for. New approaches and new strategies are needed."
"The decision is made due to the need to reconsider the tactics of actions," Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine
"The decision is made due to the need to reconsider the tactics of actions, which did not fully ensure the proper result last year, to prevent stagnation along the front line, which negatively affects public sentiment, to find new functional and high-tech solutions that allow to retain and develop the initiative, as well as to launch the process of reforming managerial principles in the army."
"A decision that has no military logic," Viktoria Siumar, Ukraine's People's Deputy and journalist
Ukraine lost today. Despite the seemingly "friendly "parting under a beautiful sauce of "updates. " However, following the "several-months-saga", it smells bad, a decision that has no military logic and carries political risks.
May God grant all wisdom…Valery Fedorovich-honor and gratitude. For Ukraine.
"Zaluzhny left his footprint in the modern history of Ukraine," Andriy Sadovyi, the Mayor of Lviv
"Whatever happens next. Zaluzhny left his footprint in the modern history of Ukraine, laid the foundation for our Victory. Gratitude and respect to the Commander-in-Chief and all military personnel defending Ukraine! Thank you for everything, Mr. General!"
"Zelensky made a huge mistake," Olexiy Honcharenko, People's Deputy
My attitude to Zaluzhny's resignation is very negative. Zelensky made a huge mistake, which can carry risks for the country. All of us will have to pay for this mistake. I won't keep silent.
"2024 will be successful for Ukraine," Oleh Synehubov, Head of the Military Administration of the Kharkiv region
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is an experienced commander who has successfully defended the Kyiv region and the brilliant Kharkiv liberation operation.
Oleksandr Stanislavovich, a hero of Ukraine, is an honorary citizen of the Kharkiv region. During his tenure as commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the operational-strategic group of troops "Khortytsia", Ukrainian soldiers drove the occupier out of our region. I will always remember those significant days when Oleksandr Syrsky made balanced and effective decisions.
General Valery Zaluzhny had one of the most difficult tasks — leading the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the early years of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian defenders gave the enemy a worthy rebuff and preserved their statehood.
2024 will be successful for Ukraine. We will do our best for this. Glory to Ukraine!"
"A black day for the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Bohdan Butkevich, journalist and media analyst
"If Syrsky is a new approach, then Zelensky is a populist cheater. Hello, 'meat assaults' on the wishlist from Bankova. Which must finally kill the will to resist. And then freezing the war for the victory of Ze, given that there was no alternative. A black day for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And all the people.
"It's normal to change leadership, including military leaders," Denys Gorokhovskyi, political scientist
"But today, we can confidently state that this is normal. It's normal to change leadership, including military leaders. If you look at any prolonged military conflict, you'll see that such changes are common, and nothing surprises about it. The enemy attempted to exploit the situation, as did the opposition. Why? Because our media elevated Zaluzhny to an iconic status. Perhaps it was the right approach at the time; I'm not debating that. However, these are the consequences of such actions."
"Disgusting and shameful," Anatoly Hrytsenko, Former Minister of Defense of Ukraine
"We all saw how the protracted resignation of general Zaluzhny was prepared and took place — it was disgusting and shameful, with dirt and humiliation, nothing to do with changing the strategy or tactics of war — politicking, ratings and jealousy. I want to thank General Zaluzhny for his loyalty to Ukraine in an extremely difficult time, for his efforts in repelling aggression, for his remarkable endurance and ability to work with clenched teeth even when he was ignored and humiliated in the presence of subordinates for more than a year and a half, when through his head and without his knowledge, violating the principle of unity of command and the vertical of military control, they gave orders to his subordinates.
I want to wish success, strength and endurance to the newly appointed General Syrsky, no matter how anyone treats him. You can't envy him. There is no money, no equipment, no ammunition, no desire to fight — and at the same time they expect a new strategy and new big victories from him."
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Comments (7)
I believe that Zelenskiy felt threatened by Zaluzhniy's popularity and that the general would end up being recruited as a Presidential candidate. Zaluzhniy is also an extremely loyal Ukrainian patriot.
The Davos mafia in Geneva has also already bought and paid for Zelenskiy. He has committed Ukraine to the Great Reset, which means that all Ukrainians would be subject to a "pilot program" or a test run of Klaus Schwab's 21st Century global serfdom program.
General Zaluzhniy would make quick work of the Davos regime's dark plan in order to protect his people, and the globalist whackos need to get him out of the picture in Ukraine.
I believe this has everything to do with Davos, the WEF.
Vindman is also available.
Vindman? Surely, you jest...Vindy has spent WAAAAYYY too long in the USA. He's a Beltway drone now, too corrupted... he would be taking orders from Barack Obama sitting in his sweat pants in the White House basement. @Mark,
This is not a crisis.
Don't get the types of people who have served Ukraine's needs so valiantly, under constant threat; mixed up with some spineless or self serving twits taking up space in other countries.
These 3 gentleman have been working around the clock 7 days a week, for the last 2 years to ensure the survival of their country. They know there is not solely ONE hero in Ukraine's battle for survival...there is an ENTIRE COUNTRY worth of them. In all vocations, all genders and all stages of life. All work in unison towards a greater cause...the survival of their country.
I remain inspired by the Ukrainians. They are fighting for what we had been raised to hold important, but now do so little to protect (our democracy). They are gaining unity even as sadly many democracies are losing it. That is largely the outcome of the fake news / dissent sowing hybrid war conducted against us by putin which we still fail to address.
None of the players in this article are abandoning Ukraine. This is simply a change in strategy due to an embarrassing reduction in allied support, and thus a lateral swap in differently skilled but equally revered leadership. These two generals will continue to serve their nation well. That is the kind of leadership Ukraine is producing these days.
@John, Well said John
"zelenskyy recently confirmed that he was planning a large-scale reset in the country's leadership, not just the military one, and said that Ukraine needs "fresh energy."
"fresh energy" by resorting to a communist / soviet fossil from the stale past, syrskyi was born in russia, attended russian military academy in moscow, still fights mostly according to soviet doctrine, hated by most of Ukrainian troops and will probably entertain zelenskyy's political fantasies.
Replacing a Ukrainian general that was the first general in a long time that was not soviet trained and successfully broke that disgusting habit, with one going back in time is ridiculous. Replacing a general(s) that advise a president of the battlefield realities does not change those realities.
This very action is what got a lot of soviet troops needlessly killed. stalin replaced competent generals with ones who were incompetent but politically loyal.
I do not see what could possibly go wrong (sarcasm.)
This new General is a Russian!! Born in Russia educated in Russia served in Russian military has family in Russia...one has to wonder if he is a Russian sleeper agent?? I would never place a Russian in control of a nation's military!!! Crazy to do this!!
It‘s obvious that Ukraine lacks Command in the Defence Ministry. There is someone paid as „Defence Minister“ but you hear the President or the General. The new General was educated in Moscow Military Academy probably one of the few last Classes.
Zaluzhny uttered the word “stalemate” and that was the beginning of the end. His biggest mistake was to try and advance to the Sea of Azov along the entire front. It would have been better to choose one point of attack with defensive positions elsewhere. Also, he did not have critical air support.