Zelensky Dismisses Zaluzhnyi, Appoints New Commander-in-Chief

8 February, 2024 Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Photo credits: Radio Liberty General Valerii Zaluzhnyi has been dismissed from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi was appointed as the new army chief of Ukraine. The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umierov, and President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced this. "... war does not remain the same.

War changes and demands changes. Battles in 2022, 2023 and 2024 are three different realities.

2024 will bring new changes for which we must be ready. New approaches, new strategies are needed.

Today, a decision was made to change the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I am sincerely grateful to Valerii Fedorovych for all his achievements and victories," the Minister stated. Zaluzhnyi's resignation was confirmed by Volodymyr Zelensky in his new video address.

Oleksandr Syrskyi: Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

"I am grateful to General Zaluzhnyi for two years of defense.

I am grateful for every victory we have achieved together and thanks to all Ukrainian soldiers who are heroically enduring this war. Today we had a frank discussion about what needs to be changed in the army. Urgent changes.

I offered General Zaluzhnyi to continue to be part of the Ukrainian state team. I will be grateful for his consent," the President said. Zelensky said that Brigadier Generals Andrii Hnatov, Mykhailo Drapaty, Ihor Skybiuk, and Colonels Pavlo Palisa and Vadym Sukharevskyi are being considered for leadership positions in the army.

"The year 2024 can be successful for Ukraine only if there are effective changes in the basis of our defense, which is the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Zelensky summarized in his address. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former army chief of Ukraine, commented on his resignation on his social media accounts. "In the first most difficult days of the full-scale war, we withstood a vile and powerful enemy.

We survived together. Our battle continues and changes every day. The tasks of 2022 are different from the tasks of 2024.

Therefore, everyone must change and adapt to the new realities as well. To win together, too," Zaluzhny stated.

Oleksandr Syrskyi

In 1986, Syrskyi, whose current call sign is 'Bars,' graduated from the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School, then in 1996 from the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and in 2005 from the National Defense Academy of Ukraine. He was the commander of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, and at the beginning of the Joint Forces Operation, he held the position of Chief of Staff.

He was one of the commanders during the battles for Debaltseve in the winter of 2015, was involved in managing the battles in Vuhlehirsk, the village of Ridkodub, and the unsuccessful attempt to recapture Lohvinove, and coordinated the withdrawal of troops from Debaltseve.

Oleksandr Syrsky: Photo credits: Ground Forces

Syrskyi was the head of the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which coordinated the actions of law enforcement agencies in Donbas, and in 2017, he was the commander of the Joint Forces Operation. For a short time in 2019, he served as the Commander of the Joint Operational Headquarters, and then on August 5, he became the Commander of the Ground Forces. 'Bars' commanded the defense of Kyiv and the operation to liberate the north of Ukraine, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the liberation of the northeastern region.

He was in charge of the defense of Soledar and Bakhmut.