Syrskyi’s fate has been decided, only question is who will succeed him, - The Guardian
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, may step down from his post in the near future.
According to Censor.NET, the British newspaper The Guardian reports this, citing its own sources.
At the same time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially denies reports of his resignation and emphasizes that no presidential decree on his dismissal has been issued.
According to The Guardian, personnel changes may occur following several days of mass protests outside the Office of the President in Kyiv and across the country. Thousands of people demanded Syrskyi’s dismissal and the reinstatement of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whom, according to the publication, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed last week following a conflict with the Commander-in-Chief and the General Staff.
Last week, Zelenskyy confirmed that serious disagreements had arisen between Fedorov and Syrskyi. After his dismissal, the former minister stated that military reforms were being blocked by bureaucratic obstacles, and that the leadership was ignoring analytical data, giving preference to brigades that, in his words, were personally loyal to Syrskyi.
What Syrskyi said
On July 20, Syrskyi published a column in which he stated that he was surprised by reports of an alleged conflict with Fedorov.
According to the commander-in-chief, they had engaged in routine working discussions, which are natural in the context of a full-scale war.
Syrskyi also apologized if his harsh remarks had offended anyone and called for a focus on the war rather than on personal disputes.
In addition, the general rejected accusations of a lack of strategy and emphasized that his main task is to lead combat operations.
The General Staff’s position
Despite reports in Western media, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that information regarding Syrskyi’s possible dismissal is untrue.
The General Staff emphasized that Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi and his deputy, Andrii Hnativ, continue to perform their duties, and that a decision on dismissal can only be made by a decree of the President of Ukraine, which has not yet been issued.
Budanov hinted at possible decisions
Despite official denials, The Guardian draws attention to a statement by Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, who made it clear that the authorities had responded to public sentiment.
According to him, "the public’s position has been heard," and the situation is being resolved "professionally and constructively."
At the same time, Budanov called on Ukrainians to prevent internal conflict.
"The enemy is closely watching every internal dispute we have and is waiting for us to start fighting among ourselves… The work continues. There will be results," Budanov said.
Who could replace Syrskyi
According to The Guardian, Zelenskyy has already held meetings with several potential candidates for the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among the possible contenders is Mykhailo Drapaty, commander of the Joint Forces.
At the same time, one of the publication’s sources in the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that the issue of Syrsky’s resignation has already been effectively decided.
"His destiny is decided. The question is who will replace him. There are a few important requirements. The person should be known and popular so everyone applauds," The Guardian quotes the source as saying.
