Zelenskiy dismissed Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi

UKRAINE - In Brief 08 Feb 2024 by Dmytro Boyarchuk
The tension between President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi has been simmering for quite some time and became notably public after the problematic counteroffensive in the summer of 2023. Zelenskiy attempted to justify his dissatisfaction with Zaluzhnyi, citing modest results, but it's quite evident that Zelenskiy's real issue was jealousy over Zaluzhnyi's popularity amidst his own declining support. In recent months, Ukrainians have observed a stark contrast between Zelenskiy’s optimistic narratives (of a quick victory and a swift, robust post-war recovery) and the grim reality that emerged by the end of the second year of the war. Against this backdrop, Zelenskiy tried to shift political blame for the negative sentiment onto Zaluzhnyi. He specifically distanced himself from the new draft law on mobilization by implying that the military, not he, was advocating for stricter rules. Despite this, Valerii Zaluzhnyi maintained high popularity and trust among Ukrainians, while a series of scandalous actions, including attacks on journalists, businesses, and civil activities, have been directly associated with Zelenskiy. Consequently, Ukrainians began openly criticizing (despite the war) the President's ineffective policies. Dismissal of the widely respected Commander-in-Chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, will only add tension in society and will inevitably hit Zelenskiy's ratings. Now, the storyline Zelenskiy vs. Zaluzhnyi is set to unfold along two dimensions. The first concern is how this dismissal will impact the situation at the frontline. With military support from the US stalled, the Ukrainian forces face a critical shortage of artillery shells. ...

Now read on...

Register to sample a report

Register
Sign-in
Forgot your password?
Copyright 2024 GlobalSource Partners. All rights reserved. This is prepared for GlobalSource Partners’ clients and may not be redistributed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, retransmitted or disclosed, in whole or in part, or in any form or manner, without the express written consent of GlobalSource Partners. This is distributed simultaneously to our website and other portals used by GlobalSource Partners. The information herein was obtained from various sources and is believed to be reliable but GlobalSource Partners does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Neither GlobalSource Partners nor any Country Analyst, officer or employee accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect or consequential damages or losses rising from any use of this or its contents.