War in Ukraine: Resignation demands, political crisis… What’s going on between Volodymyr Zelensky and the army commander-in-chief?

This is undoubtedly a conflict that Volodymyr Zelensky could have done well without, while in Ukraine, war with Russia is looming. The Ukrainian president will indeed be at loggerheads with the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valery Zalozh. As suggested by our colleagues guardian, the head of state may have invited the highest Ukrainian military officer to leave his duties on his own this Monday, January 29. The resignation, which the man concerned reportedly refused, sparked fresh speculation in Kiev about a disagreement dividing the Ukrainian armed command and the presidency.

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But did the powder burn? The growing tension between the two sides has been going on for the past few weeks. The presidency of Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the failure of the counter-offensive carried out during the summer of 2023. Some opponents also speak of a “battle of egos” between the president and the commander: “There is no “fundamental.” There are problems between them, but Zelensky’s office is worried about Valery Zaluzny’s recent political statements,” says Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian opposition MP and ally of the commander. is This Monday, January 29, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense wants to remove the controversy, the head of state and the military officer have no resentment: “No, it is not true”, they commented sincerely of the authorities.

increasing tension

However, recent polls suggest that Volodymyr Zelenskiy has lost the support of a large part of the populist electorate following the failure of the counter-offensive. Surveys conducted in Ukraine, relayed by our colleagues economist, Claim that the state’s popularity leader has collapsed over the course of a few weeks. Last April, Valery Zalozny hinted that he wanted to create a charity to support the Ukrainian war effort: this announcement drew the ire of Andriy Ermak, the president’s chief of staff. Tensions rose last August when Volodymyr Zelenskiy fired regional recruiting commanders after a corruption scandal surfaced.

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The possibility of dismissal of Valery Zalozhny is therefore considered in Ukraine. Oleksiy Goncharenko claims that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will soon be dismissed and replaced. However, this process requires the support of the Ministry of Defence. But who will replace the one who has led Kiev’s armed forces for nearly two and a half years? Behind the scenes, the name of Kirill Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, is mentioned in the whispers.