Ukraine tells White House of plan to fire top commander Valeriy Zaluzhnyi: Sources
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General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi has reportedly clashed with President Volodymyr Zelensky over military strategy and other issues.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DONETSK, Ukraine/WASHINGTON - The Ukrainian government has informed the White House that it plans to fire the country’s top military commander overseeing the war against Russian occupation forces, two knowledgeable sources said on Feb 2.
The move to oust General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi,
A source close to Mr Zelensky’s office said the pair are locked in a dispute over a new military mobilisation drive, with the President opposing Gen Zaluzhnyi’s proposal to call up 500,000 fresh troops.
The source, however, added that the process of relieving Gen Zaluzhnyi of his post as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces was on hold for the time being as the sides work out their next steps.
It was unclear how long that process would take, added the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A second source said the White House did not express a position on the plan to replace Gen Zaluzhnyi.
“I would emphasise that the White House response was that we did not support or object to their sovereign decision,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
“The White House expressed that it is up to Ukraine to make its own sovereign decisions about its personnel.”
The Washington Post was the first to report that Ukraine had informed the White House of the plan to fire Gen Zaluzhnyi.
US officials told Ukraine that they were not opposed to the firing of Gen Zaluzhnyi, said the source who is close to the Ukrainian President’s Office.
“The US is okay with Ukraine firing him,” the source said.
“Right now, both sides (the President and the general) have taken a pause in determining what the future will look like, and for now the status quo will remain until further notice.”
The source said the friction between Mr Zelensky and Gen Zaluzhnyi over mobilisation involved the President’s view that the military has enough personnel that could be used more efficiently.
“Zaluzhnyi insists on mobilising half a million men. Zelensky thinks that’s not necessary now,” the source said.
Gen Zaluzhnyi on Feb 1 published a column on the CNN website in which he wrote that the government had failed to mobilise enough troops.
Known as the Iron General, he is extremely popular. His removal could hurt morale among Ukrainian troops battling to hold positions along more than 1,000km of front line against a vast Russian force armed with large munitions stockpiles.
Ukrainian forces are experiencing shortages of critical ammunition.
Supplies from the United States, the country’s largest arms provider, have run down, and a dispute between the White House and some Republican lawmakers has stalled approval of a new aid package.
A flurry of Western and Ukrainian media reports said Gen Zaluzhnyi rejected Mr Zelensky’s request that he step aside this week.
The plan to replace Gen Zaluzhnyi despite his popularity and ability as an inspiring commander may signal Kyiv’s desire for a fresh approach to the conflict. REUTERS
