Zaluzhny vs Zelensky: How firing army chief will make President weaker
3 Min Read
According to a report by The Economist, firing the Ukrainian army general comes at great costs for the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny attends an event for marking Statehood Day in Mykhailivska Square in Kiev, on July 28, 2023 (AP)
Rumors of the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny allegedly being pushed to resign would be "deeply controversial", a report by The Economist revealed.
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko on Monday announced, as per informed sources, that Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny was allegedly told to resign, although no official decree has been issued yet.
"Two sources told me that yes... Zaluzhnyi was told to resign, but there is no decree yet. He was offered a position of ambassador to one of the European countries. He refused," Goncharenko said on Telegram.
On the same day, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry published a statement as follows: "Dear journalists, we issue an answer to everyone — no, this is not true," the Ministry said on Telegram.
The report details that Volodymyr Zelensky's troubles with his general have allies worried.
Oleksandr Syrsky, 58, and Kyrylo Budanov, 38, are two generals regarded as potential candidates for Zaluzhny's position and are both close to the Ukrainian presidency.
The rumors arrive at a vital time after a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive and uncertainty in future financial backing. Ukrainian troops on the front lines are already complaining about a scarcity of ammunition, and Russian soldiers are firing at least five times as many rounds as their opponents.
Meanwhile, opposition figures have begun to show their solidarity with Zaluzhny. Former President Petro Poroshenko wrote that the firing of the general would "hit at the heart of national unity."
The report details that removing a popular general will come with "political and military risks" for the Ukrainian President, emphasizing that if he keeps Zaluzhny, he will appear "weak", while firing him will damage any confidence in Zelensky.
The rumors of Zaluzhny's firing come after reports indicated that employees of a Ukrainian arms company collaborated with Defense Ministry officials to misappropriate nearly $40 million intended for purchasing 100,000 mortar shells for the war, according to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).
As of late Saturday, five individuals have been charged, and one person has been detained while attempting to cross the Ukrainian border. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison, the Associated Press reported.
Corruption has been a longstanding issue in Ukraine and has persisted over several decades but has been particularly exacerbated after the country gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
It's important to note that last month, Ukraine's SBU initiated a criminal investigation following the discovery of a non-operational "technical device" in Zaluzhny's office.
The investigation has been launched under a relevant article in Ukraine's criminal code concerning the "unlawful acquisition, sale, or use of special technical means for obtaining information."
The device was found to be in a non-operational state, and it was emphasized that it was not discovered in Zaluzhny's office.
"The Security Service of Ukraine has opened a criminal proceeding based on the discovery of a technical device in one of the potential deployment locations of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny," the Security Services of Ukraine said in a post on X.
