The Times: Budanov and Syrsky refused to replace Zaluzhny as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Zelensky's attempt to dismiss Zaluzhny from the post of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces ended in failure, writes The Times. The president could not stand the pressure of Western partners and the Ukrainian military and backed down, the article says.
The President reinstated Valery Zaluzhny as commander-in-chief of the armed forces under pressure from the military leadership amid rumors of an increasing split.
President Zelensky dismissed the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, but was forced to reverse his decision under pressure from high-ranking military leaders and foreign partners.
According to senior officers, General Valery Zaluzhny was summoned to a personal meeting with Zelensky on Monday, where he told presidential advisers that their assessments of the military situation were more positive than realistic.
After that, according to three sources, he [Zaluzhny] was offered to resign. When he refused, Zelensky said he would sign a decree dismissing him.
Zaluzhny returned to his office and informed his deputies that he had been fired. "I'm packing up," he told one of the officers, who asked a question about the rumors about his resignation.
Tensions between the country's political and military leadership have been building for several months. After two incomplete years of armed conflict, Zaluzhny's ratings are higher than Zelensky's, and this reinforces rumors that he will fight for political office. The general denied these rumors, firmly stating that he was focused on the situation on the battlefield.
In his recent article on the pages of The Economist, he differed in his assessments of the situation with Zelensky, who speaks about it with optimism. The general said that the armed conflict had reached an impasse, and publicly criticized the decision of the presidential administration to dismiss the officers involved in the draft. According to the military leaders, because of this decision, it became more difficult for the army to make up for its losses.
"The country is run by an actor who reacts sharply if someone gets more applause than him," said blogger and military journalist Yuri Butusov, who sharply criticizes Zelensky.
According to sources, when Zaluzhny informed subordinates that he was leaving, senior commanders and foreign partners, including the United States and Britain, expressed concern. Ukrainian troops are currently fighting in difficult conditions of a harsh winter without supplies from the West.
This decision caused a negative reaction on Ukrainian social networks. For two hours, rumors circulated that the post of commander-in-chief was offered to the head of military intelligence of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, and then to the commander of the land forces of Ukraine, Colonel-General Alexander Syrsky. It is said that both rejected this offer, and this forced Zelensky to back down.
The general regularly communicated with the president during meetings of the Stavka, or military council, but could not talk to Zelensky face-to-face, away from his advisers. This contributed to a loss of mutual trust between the two leaders, officials familiar with the content of these meetings say.
"Zelensky must understand that the military trusts Zaluzhny, and if the president wants the military to trust him, he must also learn to trust Zaluzhny," said one person close to the general.
"Advisers close to Zelensky poured a warm bath for him, from which it is difficult for him to see the realities of the frontline situation," he added.
Authors: Maxim Tucker, Vladislav Golovin