On February 8, local time, Ukraine's **Zelensky issued a ** order announcing the removal of Zaluzhny from his post as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Colonel-General Syrsky was inaugurated as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and his outstanding leadership was widely praised within the Ukrainian army. On the same day, 58-year-old Sersky was appointed the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army. The promotion of Colonel-General Syrsky was not accidental, and he showed excellent leadership during his tenure as commander of the Ukrainian Army. From 2019, he was appointed commander of the Ukrainian Army, and in 2020 he was promoted to general.
According to reports, this is the largest personnel change experienced by the senior leadership of the Ukrainian military since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Zelensky shared a photo of himself and Zaluzhny on social media, in which both shook hands with a smile. Subsequently, Russia's ** Putin also posted a message on Weibo to congratulate and express his gratitude to Zaluzhkin. In the caption, he expressed his deep gratitude to Zalu and mentioned that now is a critical time for a "technological update". Zaluzhny said he hopes to return to his familiar job and contribute to the development of future relations between Russia and Ukraine. He also made it clear that Zalu will remain in the team for some time to come.
Zelensky shared a photo of himself and Zaluzhny on social media, in which both shook hands with a smile.
As far as we know, Zelensky, after his election as **, created the independent post of "Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" in March 2020, and before that, the Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In March 2020, Zelensky removed Ruslan Khomchak, then Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, from his post and officially appointed him Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In July 2021, Ruslan was dismissed from his post as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces less than two years after taking office due to "strained relations between him and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense." Previously, Ruslan was known as the "Iron General" and enjoyed a high reputation among the Ukrainian army. In that month, Zaluzhny, who was given the title of "Iron General", was appointed the second commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, and his term of office was two and a half years.
Regarding the incident with Zalu's dismissal in Japan, the press secretary of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, noted that this reflects the fact that the current situation in Kiev is not very smooth.
The new Supreme Commander:
Known for his "defensive and offensive work", people called him "The Butcher", and he was experienced on the battlefield.
It is reported that Syrsky graduated in 1986 from the Moscow Higher Military Command School, a higher military educational institution in the Soviet Union, and served in the artillery units of the former Soviet Union. He showed extraordinary leadership in the Ukrainian army and was soon appreciated and trusted by his superiors. Before the collapse of the USSR, he had military service in Afghanistan and the Czech Republic. The experience of working in the General Staff has forged Syrsky's excellent command ability and rich combat experience. In 1991, he became a member of the newly independent Ukrainian army and rose through the ranks to commander. With his outstanding command skills and rich combat experience, Syrsky led the Ukrainian army to new glory. Between 2007 and 2014, Syrsky held several key positions in the General Staff. Under his leadership, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were given a new lease of life. In 2019, he was appointed commander of the Ukrainian army, and before the 8th, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the new armed forces. During his tenure as Commander-in-Chief of the new Armed Forces, Syrsky not only worked to improve the overall combat readiness of the army, but also actively promoted cooperation between Ukraine and NATO. As far as we know, he is also enthusiastically involved in cooperation activities to promote Ukraine's accession to NATO.
Syrsky, 58, was appointed the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army.
During the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the general, who was given the name "butcher", also showed quite an excellent record. General Butcher was well aware of the changing tide of the war, and he decided to throw himself into the defense of Kiev. In February 2022, when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine had just broken out and it was widely believed that Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, was about to be occupied, Syrsky launched Kyiv's defensive operation, which was reported to be "shocking". Syrsky showed extraordinary military talent in the ** operation in Kharkiv, and his decisive and precise decision-making allowed the Ukrainian army to achieve a crucial victory. As a result, Syrsky was awarded the highest order of honor of Ukraine, the Hero of Ukraine Prize. In the ensuing campaign, Selsky showed great command skills and tenacity. In September 2022, his army achieved remarkable results in a counterattack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, an operation that was hailed as "Ukraine's greatest victory since the beginning of the conflict", so he was widely praised. In the midst of the tense battle, Selsky showed extraordinary military talent and leadership. Zelensky also spoke highly of Syrsky in his statement, saying he has excellent practical experience both defensively and offensively."
However, the Battle of **Mutter, led by Syrsky, has been widely questioned, including by ordinary military personnel in the United States and Ukraine. It is understood that the Battle of Mutter is also commonly known as the "Battle of the Meat Grinder", which is the longest and bloodiest battle between the two sides since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The report makes it clear that against the backdrop of the constant setbacks of the Ukrainian army, Syrsky still believes that "Russia has lost more soldiers than Ukraine, so the situation is relatively stable." Syrsky's strategic decisions were highly controversial, and doubts began to arise about his command ability. After more than two hundred days of fierce fighting, the Ukrainian army failed to achieve victory, and the resources that Syrsky expended in this battle were questioned.
Media outlets: In the "battle of the dilemma", coach Zelensky changed his "popularity" and participated in a big gamble.
According to some ** reports, the Ukrainian army, under the leadership of Syrsky, is facing a series of challenges, especially in the uncertainty of Western supporters about future military assistance, the shortage of ammunition in the Ukrainian army, and the difficulty of mobilizing new soldiers.
There are also reports that Zalu's removal from office may provoke some discussion, given that he has a good reputation among both the army and the population. Some analysts believe that Zaluzhny's high approval rating reflects the people's trust in his leadership. Zalu reportedly surpassed Zelensky in a poll last year with more than 90 percent support, reaching 77 percent. Zaluzhny's dismissal caused an uproar, with many questioning Zelensky's decision. According to **, Thursky was far less popular than his predecessor for his strict discipline and determined behavior. The new commander quickly demonstrated his determination and courage after taking office. When the Ukrainian army was facing a difficult situation, Zelensky chose to replace the "extremely popular" Zaluzhny, which was undoubtedly a "big gamble" for him. This also reflects the eagerness of the Ukrainian military authorities to adopt some "different tactics from the past" on the battlefield.
In Ukraine's army, some soldiers and lower-ranking commanders reportedly believe that Syrsky is using the tactics of the previous generation. On the battlefield, Selsky's decisions were still based on tradition. From the battle of **Mutt, we can clearly observe that he still adheres to the traditional bloody strategy. Their attitude toward Syrsky revealed a concern that his tactics were outdated and could not be adapted to the needs of the current battlefield. A Ukrainian platoon commander who has been on duty under Syrsky's command since 2014 revealed that Syrsky has never shown any willingness to adapt to new tactics or techniques." "But we can't ignore his achievements either, after all, he has stabilized the situation to a certain extent. Another soldier said that although he recognized Syrsky as a competent leader, he very much regretted the incident of "Zaluzhny's dismissal", "I do not think that changing the leadership at this time will have a positive impact on the fighting at the front". The anonymous soldier also said that Syrsky was too close to the authorities and that "he should have been more independent." The soldier, who asked not to be named, also noted that Selsky was too close to ** and that "he should show more independence."
In his statement, Zelensky spoke highly of Syrsky, saying that he has accumulated valuable experience in both defense and offense."
On the streets of Kyiv, people were frustrated by the news of Zaluzh's dismissal. "He was a great leader for us. "It's a very unusual choice. "It seems to be playing with fire. "This was stated by the resident of Kiev, Vitlana Karenina. The atmosphere on the streets of Kyiv is getting more and more tense. Olena, a doctor in Kyiv, also said she was very disappointed by the incident, "which worries me." In the face of domestic and foreign pressure, Zelensky is well aware of the complexities of politics. However, according to military analyst Sams, Zelensky already has no other options and "* cannot make military decisions solely on popular support."