Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed plans for a possible political “reset” involving the replacement of several senior officials in a televised interview on Sunday, the 4th of February, clarifying speculation, particularly regarding popular commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi, that the changes, aimed at broader efforts to oust Russian troops, were not limited to the removal of one person, reports Reuters.
“When I talk about change, I mean something serious, which does not concern one person but the leadership of the country,” Reuters quoted Zelenskyy saying to Italian state broadcaster RAI in response to a question about Zaluzhnyi.
“The question is about the people who will lead Ukraine in the future. There is a need for reorganisation, I am talking about replacing several heads of state, not only in the military sector. It is a question of the whole leadership of the country”, he was quoted by Reuters.
To win the war,
Zelenskyy has stressed the need for a joint effort, for everyone to work towards the same goal.
He stressed the importance of maintaining positive energy, leaving negativity behind and abandoning a defeatist attitude.
The disagreement emerged when the Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces launched last year made little progress, with Commander Zaluzhnyi telling the Economist in November that the conflict had reached a stalemate, drawing criticism from President Zelenskyy.
In the light of growing speculation about his possible dismissal, in an interview with CNN last week, Commander Zaluzhnyi gave his views on the new electronic warfare tools.
He also pointed to problems in Ukraine’s state institutions that are hindering the achievement of the country’s objectives, stressing the need for “unpopular measures” such as mass mobilisation to counter Russia’s advantage in terms of military personnel.
Despite talk of a possible dismissal,
Zaluzhnyi remains widely admired among Ukrainians for his leadership at critical moments in the conflict.
Over the past week, reports of his expected dismissal have repeatedly appeared in the Ukrainian media, and in one case a presidential spokesman refuted claims that Zaluzhnyi would be replaced.
There has also been speculation as to whether Zaluzhnyi has been offered an alternative job, such as ambassador, or who might replace him. Two prominent candidates for his post are said to be Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the ground forces, and Kirill Budanov, who heads the intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.
Also read: VIDEO | Zelensky gets bleeped on US TV passionately speaking about why Ukraine won’t give in
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