President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valery Zaluzhny, should be fired in order to «update the situation» in Ukraine’s position on the battlefield. The Washington Post wrote about this on January 31.

According to WP, Zelensky and Zaluzhny met on Monday, and the president informed the commander-in-chief of his desire to dismiss him. Zelensky said that Ukrainians are tired of the war, and Ukraine’s allies among Western countries have weakened military support, and the new person in the post of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to the president, will be able to somehow update the situation. Zaluzhny refused to leave his post. Later, Zelensky’s press secretary Sergei Nikiforov denied Zelensky’s desire to change the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.

Anonymous newspaper sources familiar with the situation said that Zelensky was unhappy with Zaluzhny because of the failure of the counteroffensive in 2023, and also at a meeting on Monday, the president disagreed with the commander-in-chief about a new wave of mobilization in Ukraine. Zaluzhny noted the lack of personnel in the troops due to the increase in losses and stated that 500 thousand people should be called up. Zelensky believes that this is ineffective due to a lack of equipment, weapons and infrastructure for training soldiers. Besides, all these people have nothing to pay with.

Presumably, the post of commander-in-chief may be given to the commander of the land forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky, or the head of the main intelligence directorate, Kirill Budanov. At the same time, the latter has no experience as an army commander. WP sources are also confident that some of his high-ranking subordinates will also be fired along with Zaluzhny. Zelensky offered another position to Zaluzhny himself, but he refused and, in case of dismissal, plans to leave military service.

Valery Zaluzhny refused to comment to WP on information about his possible resignation.

Earlier, on January 31, The New York Times reported that Zelensky did not fire Zaluzhny on Monday because information about the possible resignation of the commander-in-chief leaked into the public field. In addition, the President of Ukraine did not find a replacement for the commander-in-chief and postponed his decision.