Zelenskiy prepares the renewal of the political and military leadership, including the head of the army | International

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Sunday that information last week about the possible replacement of the commander-in-chief of his armed forces, Valeri Zaluzhni, is true. Zelenskyj explained in an interview with RAI that the country needs the “renewal of the people who should lead Ukraine”.

When asked about the possible dismissal of Zaluzhni, the Ukrainian president for the first time responded bluntly: “When we talk about this, we are talking about a rotation of a number of state leaders, not only in one sector, such as the military. I think about this relay [refiriéndose al jefe del ejército]but it cannot be said that only one person will be relieved.”

The newspaper Pravda On Monday he assures that, in addition to the replacements in the government, the chief of staff, Serhii Shaptala, will also be replaced. The changes, according to this newspaper, could become official this week.

Zaluzhni, usually not very active on social media, published two messages in recent days in which he wanted to underline his friendship with Shaptala. On January 29, there was a meeting between Zaluzhni and the president in which the latter asked him to resign, according to multiple political and journalistic sources. The general did not accept the proposal and at night published a photograph with Shatpala which was interpreted as a sign that the military establishment remained united in the face of political power. Zaluzhni posted a photo with Shaptala again this Monday to congratulate him on the anniversary: ​​“It will still be difficult for us, but we certainly have nothing to be ashamed of. “I am happy that in this life and in this war you were at my side, a person for whom Ukraine is above all.”

Zelenskyj mentioned to RAI, albeit implicitly, the differences he maintained with Zaluzhni due to the general’s speech on the situation at the front, more pessimistic about the possibilities of reconquering the territory: “If we want to win, everyone must push. “Likewise , convinced of the victory, we cannot lose hope, we cannot give up, we have the right to have positive energy”, he told the Italian network. “This is why I am talking about a restart, about replacement, but about something serious, which does not involve just one person”.

The January 29 attempt to force Zaluzhni to resign triggered a political storm in Ukraine against Zelensky. The general is a hero for the population, the only personality in the country who can rival the president in popularity. The power and strategic differences between the two have made headlines for months. Last December, the Kiev International Institute of Sociology released a demographic study in which 72 percent of respondents disapproved of a possible replacement for Zaluzhni.

The goal clear censorshipconsidered close to the army chief, he assured that the decision to dismiss him was blocked even after the consultations that Zelenskyj’s team carried out among the governments of his main international allies.

Washington Post reported on February 2 that the Ukrainian presidency had notified the White House of its intention to fire Zaluzhni. Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, said on February 4 that the United States will respect any decisions Zelensky makes regarding his army chief.

Dismissing Zaluzhni along with other key replacements would also allow Zelensky to reduce the public feeling that the decision is a settling of scores with the commander in chief. Discrepancies between the two have worsened, especially after the failed Ukrainian counteroffensive last summer and fall.

Differences, however, already existed from the beginning of the Russian invasion. In February 2022, as journalist Simon Shuster recounts in his recently published book The Showman Zelensky ruled out preparing his country for war until the last moment, when Zaluzhni insisted that he thought war was imminent.

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