During a press conference on February 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian government could be heading for a major reset, as he is considering replacing several senior officials. Speculation over the potential dismissal of well-liked commander Valeriy Zaluzhnyi had been growing over the past few weeks as he and Zelenskyy have been at odds over the handling of the ongoing war with Russia.
Zelenskyy stated that the changes would not only concern a single person, but would involve a more widespread replacement of state leaders, not just in the military sector. He emphasized that to win the war, all government officials must push in the same direction, without negativity or a giving-up attitude.
Recent developments in Ukraine’s war effort against Russia have created disparities at the core of Ukraine’s leadership. A counteroffensive launched last year failed to make significant gains against Russian forces. Speculation over Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal has intensified and it is suggested that other candidates may replace him.
Two possible leading candidates are Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of land forces, and Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian defense ministry’s intelligence directorate. Regardless, the potential replacement of a number of state leaders, not only in the army sector, is under consideration.