Original Qi Qian Observer.com.
A few days ago, it was reported that the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny "will be dismissed".
The rumors were boiling, and in order to prevent the instability of the military and the people, Zelensky's press secretary went out to "refute the rumors". However, according to the Financial Times on January 30, a number of people familiar with the matter revealed that Zelensky did not give up on the dismissal of Zaluzhny, but only put it on hold for a while.
Four people familiar with the matter said that on the 29th local time, Zelensky proposed to Zaluzhny to let him take up a new position as a national defense adviser, but was refused. Two of them said Zelenskyy made it clear to Zaluzhny that he would be removed from the post of commander-in-chief, regardless of whether he took on a new post or not.
The four people familiar with the matter said that Zelensky's office has made a decision to dismiss Zaluzhny, but after the early disclosure of Ukraine**, the relevant decision may be put on hold for a period of time before implementation. They also said that it was not clear who would succeed Zaluzhny as commander-in-chief.
According to the Financial Times, if the above reports are true, it will be the largest reshuffle of Ukraine's military command since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict two years ago. Among the possible replacements for Zaluzhny are Oleksandr Syrsky, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, and Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, both of whom are close to Zelensky.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny, photo from Visual China.
Zaluzhny is 50 years old and is known to admirers as the "Iron General". He was appointed commander-in-chief by Zelenskyy in July 2021 and has been overseeing military operations in Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
In fact, rumors of tensions between Zelensky and Zaluzhny have been around for a long time. In November last year, Zaluzhny described the situation on the battlefield between Russia and Ukraine as a "stalemate" in an interview with British media, a statement that angered Zelensky. Zelenskyy's office publicly condemned Zaluzhny's remarks, saying that his remarks caused panic among Western allies and made it easier for the "aggressor" to get his hands on it.
The two also disagreed on the issue of the mobilization of the Ukrainian army. Zaluzhny advocated lowering the age of conscription, but Zelensky has not signed the relevant bill.
In December, when asked by reporters whether he intended to remove Zaluzhny from his post, Zelenskyy had responded that he wanted to "help others develop the story further." He said at the time: "I have a working relationship with Zaluzhny. Together with the General Staff, he should be held accountable for the outcome of the battlefield. There are a lot of problems there. Offense is a tricky puzzle ......It is an honor to be commander-in-chief, and it is an honor to be a great honor. And we need strong initiatives and results. ”
On January 19, local time, the news that Zaluzhny "will be dismissed" once again spread in Ukraine. "Ukrainska Pravda", Interfax-Ukraine and many other Ukrainian** quoted sources saying that Zaluzhny has been fired, or is about to be fired, and Zelensky has ordered Zaluzhny to stay out of the public eye.
This news caused a huge uproar in Ukraine. According to the Financial Times, Zaluzhny enjoys prestige among the Ukrainian army and civilians and is considered to have played a huge role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A Ukrainian poll released in December showed that 88 percent of Ukrainians said they trusted Zaluzhny, while only 62 percent said they trusted Zelensky.
Zaluzhny's dismissal) will have a very, very negative impact on the morale of the army," Ukrainian military historian Mykhailo Zhyrokhov said in an interview with Ukrainian media. He added that he believed the rumours were "fabricated".
In addition, replacing Zaluzhny could be unsettling for Ukraine's Western allies, including the military, which has worked closely with Zaluzhny over the past two years to develop a battlefield strategy**. At present, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is still in a critical period, and Ukraine is actively receiving a large amount of military and financial assistance from the United States and the West.
On the evening of the 29th, Zelensky's press secretary Serhii Nikiforov denied the above reports, saying that "absolutely not, ** did not fire the commander-in-chief", but did not provide further information. Zaluzhny himself did not comment on reports that he or he was fired, but on the 29th, he posted a photo with General Chief of Staff Sergey Shaptala** on social media.
*|Observer.com.
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