KYIV, (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy replaced Ukraine’s popular army chief with his ground forces commander on Thursday, a huge gamble at a time when Russian forces are gaining the upper hand nearly two years into their war.
The shakeup ushering in a new military leadership follows months of speculation about a rift between Zelenskiy and army chief General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, who many Ukrainians see as a national hero.
“As of today, a new management team takes over the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said in a statement.
He promoted ground forces chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, 58, to be the new head of the Armed Forces, citing his role in overseeing the defence of Kyiv in 2022 and the lightning Kharkiv counteroffensive later that year.
Syrskyi, who goes by the call sign “snow leopard”, takes the helm amid deep uncertainty as Kyiv awaits vital military aid from the United States that has been delayed by Republicans in the U.S. Congress for months.
The U.S. State Department said the move to replace Zaluzhnyi was a “sovereign decision”.
The Pentagon said Washington “will work effectively with General Syrskyi, we already have”.
With Ukraine struggling to overhaul how it mobilises civilians into the army, the sacking of Zaluzhnyi could deal a blow to troop morale on a 1,000-kilometre (621-mile) front. It could also backfire politically, hurting Zelenskiy’s ratings.
