Rifts among Ukraine’s senior leadership have emerged in the wake of rumors that the Ukarine’s top commander may be dismissed due to alleged disagreements with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The rumors that Valerii Zaluzhnyi would be fired were dismissed by Zelenskyy’s office and the Defence Ministry this week, and the extremely popular senior commander remains in his position.
However, the claims have stoked speculation about his impending departure, which might be advantageous for Russia as the war approaches its second anniversary.
Tensions are alleged to have grown, particularly after Zaluzhny defined the battle with Russia as a stalemate in an interview and piece for The Economist magazine in November.
Defense Ministry defies rumours
On Monday, presidential spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov assured that rumors about the army chief’s departure were false.
The Defence Ministry also posted a statement on its social media accounts that stated, “Dear journalists, an immediate answer to everyone: No, this is not true.” And in his usual evening speech on Monday, Zelensky made no mention of his army chief.
According to one of the individuals, during a small gathering at his office on Monday, which also included Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, the President announced that he had “made a decision to dismiss the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.”
The story is consistent with other stories, including those in The Washington Post and the Financial Times.
Requests for response from the president’s and Zaluzhnyi’s offices were not replied.
The US Congress has blocked much-needed military supplies to fuel the next phase of the struggle, and Ukrainian soldiers are digging in to protect locations against advancing Russian troops.
“Zelensky has the right to remove Zaluzhnyi. But he needs to have a very good justification for that, a very good explanation which is understandable to Ukrainians,” stated Oleksii Haran who is a research director at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in Kyiv.
He further explained “We know that if Zaluzhnyi is dismissed right now, it will be used by Russian propaganda, it will be used by forces, including those inside the United States, which are delaying supplies of arms to Ukraine. So, this won’t be a good thing.”
Potential replacements that Ukraine is considering
One of the individuals, a top military leader, told that two names in particular are being considered as potential replacements. One of them is Kyrylo Budanov, the current chief of the Defence Intelligence Directorate, a 38-year-old general recognised for his close relations to Zelensky and seen as a representative of a new generation of military officials. The other contender is Oleksandr Syrskyi, the current leader of Ukrainian Land Forces, according to a senior military leader who spoke with CNN.
Is it possible to dismiss the popular top commander?
Despite the fact that Ukraine’s counteroffensive failed to make considerable success in reversing Russian advances in the country’s south and east, Zaluzhny remains one of the country’s most popular leaders.
In December, the Kyiv Institute of Sociology issued a study that revealed 88% of Ukrainians backed the top general. Zelensky’s approval rating, while still strong, was much lower at 62%. The survey was conducted after disagreements between the two commanders appeared to have erupted throughout the course of the battle.
Ukraine’s counteroffensive, launched in June, was its primary effort to push Russian soldiers out of the lands they had captured since 2022, primarily in the country’s south. Ukraine had planned to march south from Orikhiv towards the Sea of Azov, dividing Russia’s forces and cutting off its land bridge to Crimea. However, Ukraine’s advancements were modest. Ukraine’s lack of progress prompted its armed forces to call for a massive mobilisation campaign involving up to 500,000 extra conscripts at the end of December. The request is presently before parliament.
One soldier who spoke with CNN while battling around Avdiivka in the east said any move to discharge Zaluzhny was a mistake. “He is a worthy general. Our government wants to overthrow him because he is not very convenient for them,” the soldier stated, adding, “It seems like ‘Zelensky’s guys’ sold us out a long time ago.”
