WP: Zelensky To Oust Zaluzhny Amid Tension Over New Mobilization
- 31.01.2024, 14:44
How do the plans of the Ukrainian President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine differ?
During the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny on Monday, January 29, differences between the two boiled over because of disagreement about how many soldiers Ukraine needs to mobilize this year, according to the sources of the Washington Post.
Sources claim that Zaluzhny proposed mobilizing close to 500,000 troops, a figure Zelensky viewed as impractical given the scarcity of uniforms, guns and training facilities and potential challenges related to recruitment.
Zelensky has also publicly said that Ukraine lacks the funds to pay so many new conscripts.
Zaluzhny countered that Ukraine is already short of forces due to mounting casualties and needs to match 400,000 new soldiers that Russia plans to mobilize.
In their conversation Monday, Zelensky told Zaluzhny that Ukrainians have grown tired of war and that the country’s international backers have also slowed military assistance, so perhaps a new commander would rejuvenate the situation, the person familiar with their conversation said.
According to the WP source, senior members of Zaluzhny’s staff are also expected to be removed.
Rumors about the dismissal of Valery Zaluzhny — what is known
On January 29, the media reported the likely dismissal of Zaluzhny from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense denied this information.
On the same day, these reports were also denied by the press secretary of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Serhiy Nikiforov. Zelensky himself did not mention Zaluzhny’s resignation in his evening speech.
The Economist noted that Zaluzhny was offered the position of Secretary of the National Security Council, but he refused.
At the same time, according to The New York Times, the President of Ukraine planned to fire Zaluzhny, but changed his decision after the information hit the media.