UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering replacing several of the countries senior officials as he claims a “reset is necessary”.
Ukraine‘s senior military commander Valery Zaluzhnyi and a number of other state leaders may lose their jobs as part of the rest, Mr Zelensky revealed in an interview with Italian TV.
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In the broadcast on Sunday, Ukraine’s leader said he was considering replacing a number of senior officials in his cabinet both inside and out of the military wings.
Zelensky said in the interview: “It is a question of the people who are to lead Ukraine.
“A reset is necessary, I am talking about a replacement of a number of state leaders, not only in the army sector.
“I am reflecting on this replacement. Is a question for the entire leadership of the country.”
Ukraine has been at the heart of rumours over who Zelensky plans on keeping in his cabinet after he recently faced criticism from some over the current situation in the Ukraine war.
The commander of Ukraine’s military, Valery Zaluzhnyi created a rift with his president following the failure of a Ukrainian counteroffensive last year.
Tensions are said to have reached a boiling point after Zaluzhnyi described the war with Russia as a “stalemate” in an interview with The Economist.
If we want to win we must all push in the same direction, we cannot be discouraged, we must have the right and positive energy, negativity must be left at home
Volodymyr Zelensky
Speaking to Italian state RAI television Zelensky continued saying: “I have in mind something serious that does not concern a single person but the direction of the country’s leadership”
“If we want to win we must all push in the same direction, we cannot be discouraged, we must have the right and positive energy, negativity must be left at home. We can’t take on giving-up attitudes.”
Last week, he also told CNN that some Ukrainian institutions were preventing the country from achieving its main goals to try and push Russia further back.
This included Ukraine trying to build up their forces so they could match up better to Russia’s sheer number of fighters.
Zaluzhnyi is well admired by Ukrainian citizens after he has led Ukraine in intense battles against Russian forces advancing on Kyiv.
He has also been seen as the man responsible for recapturing many areas of territory in the south and northeast of Ukraine’s capital.
But Ukraine’s popular army chief was allegedly called to a meeting at the president’s office on Monday 29, where he was told he was being fired, reports CNN.
According to a pair of sources in Ukraine, a “calm,” Zelensky offered Zaluzhnyi a separate position but the 50-year-old quickly turned it down.
The rumours quickly spread into Western media and caused presidential spokesman Serhiy Nykyforov to shut down the reports calling them all untrue.
The defence ministry was also forced to put out a message on social media saying: “Dear journalists, an immediate answer to everyone: No, this is not true.”
Two possible successors for Zaluzhnyi who are said to be in the running if the position opens up are Kyrylo Budanov and Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Budanov. 38, is the current head of the Defence Intelligence Directorate and is known to have strong ties with Zelensky already.
Whereas Syrskyi, 58, is the Commander of Ground Forces and commanded the successful Kharkiv counteroffensive in 2022.
Ukraine war update
This apparent reshuffle comes after a period of success for Ukraine.
Last week, Ukraine claimed to have sunk a Russian warship – with 50 sailors on board – using kamikaze sea drones.
Footage shared by Ukraine’s ministry of defence showed the dramatic moment its boats sped toward Putin’s £55million Black Sea missile ship “Ivanovets” and sent it up in flames.
In another major scalp for Ukraine, two of Putin’s most crucial spy planes worth £290million were shot down last month.
One of the Russian dictator’s £260million spy planes disappeared and a £30million bomber jet was set on fire after Ukrainian forces shot them out of the sky above the Azov Sea.
Since the beginning of the war, Russia had lost approximately 385,230 personnel, 6,310 tanks, and 11,757 armoured combat vehicles, Ukrainian army officials said.
Putin’s army also reportedly lost 9,195 artillery units, 974 multiple launch rocket systems, 663 air defence systems, 332 warplanes, and 324 helicopters.
The list goes on – 7,100 drones, 1,846 cruise missiles, 23 warships, 1 submarine, 12,231 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,452 units of special equipment.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is set to receive a first large batch of long-range missiles built by Boeing and Saab.
The missiles will extend its range deep into Russian-held territory and will supplement its US-provided ATACM rockets.
On Thursday, EU members unanimously agreed to extend £42billion in new aid to Ukraine.
The money will come from taxes and profits from billions of dollars in assets belonging to the Russian central bank.
Georgie English
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