As a result of President Vladimir Zelensky's decision, 58-year-old Colonel-General Alexander Sirsky became the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing 50-year-old Valery Zaluzhny, who was released.
This is what the President informed in a special address, adding the words of gratitude to Zaluzhny for his service. Zelensky noted him as the most experienced Ukrainian commander, emphasizing his successful operations, in particular, protection during the Kiev Defense Operation and the offensive during the Kharkiv Liberation Operation.
This personnel change was the result of long political scandals that lasted for three months.
The appointment of Alexander Sirsky to the post of commander -in -chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, instead of Valery Zaluzhny, aroused interest in the public. These personnel changes were the result of tension between the President's office and the former commander -in -chief who has gone into a public discussion.
The tension between the parties began in November 2023, when Valery Zaluzhny published an article in The Economist, describing the situation on the military front as "in a dead end" and expressed his thoughts on possible ways of exit. This caused criticism from the deputy chairman of President Igor Zhovkva, who accused Zaluzhny of causing panic among Western allies and facilitating the work of the aggressor. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly rejected the opinion of Zaluzhny.
In the next stage, without the call of Zaluzhny, the new Minister of Defense of Rustem Umerov, according to him, initiated the dismissal of the Special Operations Commander -in -Chief of Special Operations Viktor Khorenko. This decision also caused ambiguous reactions and accusations.
Although in November 2023 they prophesied the resignation of Zaluzhny, the Presidential team considered a conflict between Zelensky and Zaluzhny a temporary phenomenon. However, three months later, the staffing still happened, appointing a new commander -in -chief.
In the evening of January 29, various media, telegrams and deputies of the Verkhovna Rada began to disseminate information about the dismissal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny.
According to the Air Force, a meeting between Vladimir Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov was held at the Air Force. During the meeting, the head of state announced his decision to release the Commander -in -Chief of the Armed Forces. Zelensky also noted that the corresponding decree will be signed in the near future.
However, after spreading this information in the media, Presidential Office Sergei Nikiforov was forced to publicly report that "the President did not release Zaluzhny."
It is unknown to the end, which prompted Zelensky to postpone the signing and publication of the Decree on the dismissal of the Armed Forces Commissar. One version points to the confrontation of Western partners against this personnel decision, while other sources claim that both applicants for the post of commander -in -chief - Alexander Sirsky and Kirill Budanov - refused to take office.
Ultimately, the decree on the release of Zaluzhny was still signed, and the head of the Ukrainian army became an experienced general Alexander Sirsky, who was called the favorite of the Presidential Office.
Oleksandr Syrsky, born on July 26, 1965 in the village of novelty of Vladimir region of Russia, is a well -known military figure with many years of experience.
After completing the Moscow Higher Military Team School in 1986, Sirsky began his service in the National Guard, later transferring to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In 1996 he successfully graduated from the Academy of the Armed Forces, and in 2005 he received his education at the National University of Defense.
During the 2000s, Sirsky headed the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and was actively involved in Ukraine's cooperation with NATO.
In the winter of 2015, he played a key role in conducting an anti -terrorist operation (ATO) during the fighting for Debaltseve, successfully deducing the Ukrainian group from a nearly surrounding city that was threatened by the Russian army. For this feat, Alexander Sirsky was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky.
Since 2016, he has headed the Joint Operational Headquarters, responsible for coordinating the actions of the Ukrainian military in the Donbass, and since 2019 he managed the ground forces.
Oleksandr Syrsky, born on July 26, 1965 in the village of novelty of Vladimir region of Russia, is a prominent military figure with a lot of experience.
During the start of a full -scale invasion of Russia, Sirsky took responsibility for the defense of Kiev, for which he received the title "Hero of Ukraine". He decided to mobilize military-educational centers for the creation of temporary battalions and delivered artillery systems commonly used to the capital.
By regulating the city to sectors and appointing generals from military-educational centers to lead each district, Syrsky created a clear system of subordination, which allowed officers on the site to make tactical decisions without delay.
During a counter -offensive in Kharkiv region in the fall of 2022, Sirsky was distinguished as one of the heads of the operation. He is considered a military strategist that prepares for any unforeseen circumstances, even those that are considered extremely unlikely.
However, some officers expressed negative feedback on Syrsky, criticizing his attitude towards preserving the lives of soldiers and interfering with the management of units at the level of the company. He also indicated his good relationship with the President's office and the possibility of appointing the Armed Forces Commissar since the spring of 2022.
It is reported that there were differences between Alexander Syrsky and Valery Zaluzhny about a strategy related to the city of Bakhmut.
Initially, the differences arose about whether it was necessary to get out of the city in the winter of 2023, and then - whether it was necessary to step on the city already in the summer and in the fall of 2023 in parallel with the counter -offensive in the south.
In 2023, Syrsky managed the Eastern Grouping of troops, which was actively engaged in fighting in the most comprehensive areas of the front. The battle of Bakhmut was under his control.
According to the New York Times, in the summer of 2023, US strategists insisted that Zaluzhny concentrates on a breakthrough in the southern direction rather than scattering resources between the southern and eastern directions. Zaluzhny, according to sources, agreed with this recommendation.
However, the Ukrainian army continued the offensive operations on Bakhmut, for which Sirsky performed.
In his interview, the Air Force, Syrsky called the offensive battle of Bakhmut, where thousands of Ukrainian military were killed, "a principled matter and a matter of honor." He expressed the opinion that the Armed Forces could surround the city captured by the Russians, but never happened.
From the autumn of 2023, the operative-strategic group "Khortytsia", under the command of Alexander Sirsky, assumes responsibility for the defense of the front near Kupyansk and estuary. Here, Russian troops are active attacks, and the Ukrainian forces keep defense.
The main task of Russia in this direction is the repulsion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the eastern bank of the rivers Oskil and the Black Stallion, in order to reduce the threat of offensive in the occupied cities of Svatovo and Kreminna in Luhansk region.
Also, perhaps the army of the Russian Federation is trying to seize already liberated in the fall of 2022 the cities of Kupyansk and Lyman, since these settlements are of great strategic importance as large railway units and important points for sustainable defense in the area.
Within six months, attacks on this section of the Russian army managed to reach only a small advance on the shape of the Kupyansk - Svatovo road. However, they suffered significant losses in equipment and personnel.
Despite this, according to the words of Syrsky, the situation on this front remains difficult. This is due to the fact that in addition to the direction near Kupyansk, Russia began an offensive near the Seversk and Temporal Yar in Donetsk region at the end of last year.
According to the new commander -in -chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, all attempts by the enemy were unsuccessful.
