• 11/27/2024

Differing views on mobilisation: Washington Post explains why Zelenskyy might dismiss Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief

Pravda Ukraine

According to Ukrainian officials, disagreements between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi arose due to differing views on mobilisation and inconsistencies between what the army requires and what Ukrainian officials were able to obtain from partners.

Source: The Washington Post

Details: The publication, citing Kyiv sources, reports on the conversation between Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi, as well as disagreements between Ukraine’s President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

According to a senior official familiar with the conversation, Zelenskyy informed Zaluzhnyi that he was dismissing him at a meeting on Monday, January 29.

According to one of the sources, during the conversation, Zelenskyy told Zaluzhnyi that Ukrainians were tired of the war, and international donors had also slowed the delivery of military aid, so a new commander might revitalise the situation.

Two sources spoke to the publication under the condition of anonymity. According to one source, Zaluzhnyi’s senior staff are also expected to be removed from their positions.

According to two people familiar with the talks, disagreements between Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi have escalated over differing views on how many soldiers Ukraine needs to mobilise in 2024.

According to the sources, Zaluzhnyi proposed mobilising approximately 500,000 troops, which Zelenskyy considers impractical due to a lack of uniforms, weapons, and training facilities, as well as potential recruitment issues.

Zaluzhnyi responded that Ukraine no longer had enough strength due to growing losses and that it needed to recruit over 400,000 new soldiers, as Russia intends to mobilise this number of people in its own country. One person familiar with the conversation reported this.

According to a senior official, Zaluzhnyi was offered another position, but he declined and intends to resign from the military.

Another source of contention is what Zaluzhnyi asked of the Ukrainian military and what Kyiv’s political leaders were able to obtain from allies and partners.

This was reported by a second source familiar with the details of the meeting on 29 January: “He says in conversations with the minister of defence: ‘It’s not my job to get this; it’s your job’,” the official stated.

Background:

  • Rumours of tensions and strategic disputes between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Valeryi Zaluzhnyi have been circulating for several months.
  • On 29 January, Anonymous Telegram channels and some politicians began to report on the alleged dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, but no decree has been posted on this issue. According to sources at Ukrainska Pravda, Zaluzhnyi was offered another position, such as ambassador, but he turned it down.
  • Serhii Nykyforov, the President’s Press Secretary, said that Zelenskyy has not dismissed Valerii Zaluzhnyi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not yet signed a decree on the dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, but this scenario is still possible.

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https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/31/7439742/