Zelensky to fire top brass.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly considering dismissing his top general, Valery Zaluzhny, along with all of the commander’s deputies within the coming days, as stated by a member of the country’s parliament, the Rada, in a recent Telegram post.

The anticipated dismissal of General Zaluzhny was initially rumored by various media outlets last week. However, following a leak to the press, Zelensky appears to have postponed the decision. Nevertheless, he acknowledged on Sunday his intention to replace his top commander and initiate a significant overhaul of the country’s leadership.

According to MP Alexey Goncharenko, alongside Zaluzhny’s removal, the president plans to terminate the appointments of all of the general’s deputies, including Evgeny Moysyuk, Nikolay Balan, and Mikhail Zabrodsky.

Goncharenko criticized any attempts to undermine Zaluzhny’s accomplishments and described the possibility of his dismissal as a “total disgrace” for Zelensky. He emphasized that it was inappropriate to “fuel negativity, engage in political maneuvers, and escalate tensions within society during a time of war.”

Although Zelensky has not yet specified the timing of Zaluzhny’s dismissal, another Rada MP, Evgeny Shevchenko, has suggested that the commander will likely be relieved of his duties sometime this week. Shevchenko further indicated that Zaluzhny is expected to travel to the UK to assume the role of Kiev’s ambassador, a move described as essentially providing a “political retirement” for the general.

Zaluzhny’s dismissal follows months of strained relations with the Ukrainian president, stemming from their differing assessments of the battlefield situation, notably after Kiev’s unsuccessful summer counteroffensive. In November, Zaluzhny characterized the situation on the ground as a “stalemate” in an article for The Economist, a depiction vehemently rejected by Zelensky.

However, in a recent interview with Italy’s RAI TG1 news channel, Zelensky seemed to shift his stance, acknowledging issues on the front line. He suggested that addressing these issues would require a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s leadership, implying a broader approach beyond the replacement of a single individual, presumably referring to Zaluzhny.

Meanwhile, the top Ukrainian commander reportedly conveyed to the president, as per the Washington Post, that mere leadership changes would not lead to rapid improvements on the battlefield. He emphasized the need for recruiting more forces to gain an advantage and underscored the necessity for Ukraine to brace for an increase in personnel losses in 2024.

According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, Kiev suffered more than 23,000 casualties in January alone. In December, the ministry estimated that since the conflict’s outset, over 383,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed or wounded. Many independent observers dispute that number which is actually believed to be well over 500,000.

This massive loss of fighting men caused the military to consider drafting a further 500,000 men. See Flat Out News article here.