- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering dismissing General Valery Zarouzhny, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces.
- Zelenskiy said the leadership needed to be reset, suggesting broader changes were occurring beyond the military.
- Zaruzhny’s possible ouster has caused an uproar in Ukraine, pleasing the Kremlin and affecting morale in the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says he is considering firing the country’s top military chiefs as part of broader leadership reforms, a possibility that could threaten the country’s war to end Russian aggression. It has shocked and concerned Ukraine’s Western allies.
In an interview with Italian broadcaster RAI television published late Sunday, President Zelensky admitted that he was considering dismissing General Valery Zarouzhny, the popular commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. He said he was considering steps to ensure the country continued to be led by individuals who were “confident of victory” over Russia.
“We need a reset, a new beginning,” Zelenskiy said. The review is “not about individuals, but about the direction of the country’s leadership.”
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“I am thinking about this substitution, but I cannot say that I have replaced one person here,” Zelenskiy said. “When we talk about this, I mean a series of changes in national leadership, not just a single branch like the military. If we want to win, win We all need to be convinced and move in the same direction. We can’t do that.” If you feel discouraged, put your arms down. We must have the right amount of positive energy. ”
On February 4, 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is visiting the Zaporizhzhia region, the site of fierce battles with Russian forces in Ukraine. President Zelenskiy is considering firing the country’s top military leaders as part of a broader leadership overhaul. (Ukraine Presidential Press Office, via AP)
Zelenskiy’s comments were the first to acknowledge the possibility of Zarzhini’s dismissal. The general’s possible ouster has already caused an uproar in Ukraine, pleasing the Kremlin as the war approaches its second anniversary.
Mr. Zarzhniy is widely respected among Ukrainian military personnel and considered a national hero. He is credited with stopping a full-scale Russian invasion early in the war and skillfully pushing back Moscow’s forces.
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Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko criticized the possible dismissal, saying it was due to General Zaruzhny’s leadership, which “many Ukrainians truly trust in the military.”
“Today is a moment when politics may trump reason and the interests of the country,” Klitschko said on social media. The mayor of Ukraine’s capital has been a vocal critic of Zelensky. The presidential palace in turn accused Klitschko of inefficiency in his office.
It is unclear who will replace Mr. Zarzhny and whether his successor will command the same level of respect from Ukraine’s military and foreign defense leaders. His removal risks undermining his morale at a critical time in the war.
According to Ukrainian and Western media reports, Zelensky asked Zaruzhni to resign last week, but the general refused. Mr. Zarzini has not publicly commented on the report.
Tensions between him and the president have been high since a long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive launched in June with the help of an array of Western weapons failed to yield significant territorial gains in Russian-occupied territory, disappointing allies’ hopes. is increasing.
Ukraine is currently suffering from ammunition and manpower shortages, while Russia is on the offensive with persistent attacks. Four people were killed and at least one injured in an airstrike in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Monday afternoon, the local military administrator said.
The need for wide-scale mobilization to strengthen the Ukrainian military has reportedly been one of the areas of disagreement between Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Zaruzhni.
President Zelenskiy said late last year that he had rejected the military’s request to mobilize up to 500,000 people, demanding details on how the mobilization would be organized and how much it would cost.
The rift between Mr. Zarouzny and Mr. Zelensky first surfaced in the fall, when the general admitted in an interview with The Economist that the war with Russia was at a stalemate. The president vehemently denied that such a thing existed.
Mr. Zarzhny published two essays setting out his vision of how Ukraine could win the war. He said in his book that it is important for Ukraine to secure air superiority, increase efficiency in countering enemy artillery, increase reserves and increase electronic warfare capabilities.
Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren announced on Monday that the Netherlands is preparing an additional six F-16 fighter jets on top of the 18 previously promised to Ukraine.
In a message to X (formerly Twitter), Ollongren said Ukraine’s “air superiority is essential to countering Russian aggression.” Denmark also pledged to donate 19 F-16s to Ukraine.
Lieutenant General Serhii Nayev, commander of the Joint Forces of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, said on Monday that the country will receive missiles with a range of 186 to 310 miles along with the F-16s as part of an upcoming defense aid package from allies. This is reported by the Ukrainian news agency RBK Ukraine.
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Ukraine desperately needs more Western military aid as Russian forces maneuver from multiple directions along the 900-mile war front. US House Republicans are moving forward with a military spending plan that would provide aid to Israel but omit further aid to Ukraine. Zarzini’s removal could further heighten uncertainty among Western allies.
Russia welcomed the prospect, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying talk of Zarzhniy’s removal had exposed cracks in Ukraine’s leadership.
Ukrainian newspaper Pravda reported on Monday that President Zelenskiy is also considering dismissing Chief of the General Staff Serhiy Shaptala.
On Monday, Zarjini wished Shaputala a happy birthday and posted a photo of them together on Facebook.
“It remains very difficult for us, but we are never ashamed,” Zarzini wrote.
