Posted on 02/09/2024 4:03:16 AM PST by FarCenter
Volodymyr Zelensky has finally succeeded in firing General Valery Zaluzhny. This time, according to reporting coming from Kiev, Zaluzhny has accepted the order and has thanked Ukrainians for their sacrifice. Zelensky will now fire most of the top brass in the army aligned with Zaluzhny. Choosing Syrsky is somewhat of a risk, because Syrsky and Zaluzhny are friends.
On the other hand, Syrsky is not known for achieving victories. He is an older (58 years), plodding general who now commands the ground troops. It is the ground troops who are losing along the line of contact.
No one can say for sure what Zelensky will accomplish. Kiev is blaming the failed offensive on Zaluzhny and he was getting ready to blame him also for the fall of Avdiivka (that will happen soon).
Exactly how a new team can make any difference is hard to say. Zelensky fired Zaluzhny so he could call the shots on the battlefield.
Zelensky has no military background. Before running for President he was a TV comedian.
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Lurking in the background is Kiev’s new draconian conscription law, which has now passed the first reading in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament. Next week the Rada will have its second reading and the bill will be sent to Zelensky for signature.
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Aside from those who have left the country (the borders are now closed to draft-age men). the new law will impact either the Ukrainian elites or the children of the elites. This is likely to cause considerable blowback on Kiev. Reportedly some of the Rada members already have left or are planning to leave the country. Presumably they also will want to protect their families. If Zelensky actually imposes real sanctions on the elites, he may find the length of his presidency dramatically shortened.
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On the battlefront the Russians continue to gain ground and throw back Ukrainian counter attacks.
Avdiivka is almost split in half, and Ukrainian strongholds in the city, especially in high rise areas, are being booby trapped by Ukrainian soldiers before they pull out. The city is strategically important because it is so close to Donetsk, and beyond Avdiivka there are not many defenses in place.
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There are lots of rumblings in Kiev. Politicians who have been quiet during the war are now saying they could replace Zelensky. The Kiev mayor, Vitali Klitschko, has accused Zelensky of being an authoritarian. Other Ukrainian personalities, Yulia Tymoshenko for example, are starting to act like presidential candidates, even though martial law is projected to be extended again by Zelensky.
Washington now knows that the very best that can be hoped for is that the war continues and the Russians fail to consolidate their territorial gains. But this is a rather illusory outlook as the Russians are not paying a high price to sit back and let things drift. In fact, Russian leaders are starting to act as if they smelled blood.
Was he fired by way of blowing up his plane? just wonderin....
This is the best source for info on this shakeup that I’ve found. He’s discussed the implications of this move many times before. He’ll post his take this afternoon. The guy is SLOW to getting to his points but very knowledgeable and informative.
https://youtu.be/BzqAZXx2VNA?si=D_AwGTW27KmNcSUI
Zelensky was afraid zaluzhny would oust him on 3/31, Zelenskys constitutional last day as a president
Earlier there was talk about Zaluzhny becoming ambassador to the UK.
But now, I haven’t heard what is happening to him. If he stays in Ukraine, he continues to be a threat to Zelensky.
Golly, were the Putin Groupies and their go-to ChiComm propaganda paper, the Asia Times, ever this obsessed about the multiple changes Putin made to his generals in charge?
LOL!!
Deck chairs. Titanic. Tick tock.
If he goes to London he faces assasssination. He has a target on his back as long as he is a rival for power and more popular with the military than Piano-man and his ethnically Russian new commander, Syrsky.
He'll remain loyal to Zelensky. Zaluzhny was a threat to Zelensky but not Syrsky.
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