As of: February 11, 2024, 5:08 a.m
By: Nail Akkoyun
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Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyj takes the helm of the Ukrainian armed forces.
His appointment comes at a critical phase in the Ukraine war.
Kiev - He led the domestic army through the Ukraine war for almost two years, but since Thursday (February 8th), Valeriy Zalushnyj has no longer been directing the fortunes of the Ukrainian military as commander-in-chief.
President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed the experienced Oleksandr Syrsky as the new supreme commander of the armed forces.
The 58-year-old Syrskyj still went through Soviet training and received his officer training in Moscow.
The colonel general is ethnic Russian, was born in the Russian region of Vladimir and has lived in what is now Ukraine since 1980.
The list of his achievements is also long.
He was a commander in the defense against the Russian occupation of eastern Ukraine from 2014, disguised as a separatist movement. The married father of one son has been in command of Ukraine's land forces since 2019.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and his new commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyj (r.) during a meeting in November 2023. © Ukrainian Presidential Office/Imago
Syrsky played a crucial role in the recapture of Kharkiv
After the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022, Syrsky, also known as the “Snow Leopard,” played a major role in the defense of Kiev and in breaking through Russian positions in the Kharkiv region in the fall of 2022.
He also commanded the sustained defense of the city of Bakhmut until spring 2023. It inflicted heavy losses on the Russians, but also came at the price of high Ukrainian casualties.
According to military experts, there has long been a direct line between Syrsky and Zelensky - even bypassing Saluschny.
It is unclear what other strategic goals the new commander-in-chief can pursue given the situation: Russia is throwing more and more soldiers and material into the war, Ukraine lacks weapons and ammunition, and there has been a long debate abroad about the necessary support.
“To throw out Zalushny and replace him with Syrsky is not a new approach.
Sorry,” criticized the well-known Ukrainian journalist IIlya Ponomarenko.
Ukraine is facing a decisive phase: Will Syrskyj turn things around?
Syrsky's appointment comes at a crucial time in the war;
Commanders report a growing shortage of personnel, putting further strain on already exhausted troops.
In a video address, Zelensky called for a “reset” of the armed forces and emphasized the need for a realistic action plan that takes into account the realities of the 2024 battlefield.
He further highlighted the importance of different rotations for troops and better mobilization efforts.
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Syrsky's appointment as commander-in-chief of the armed forces marks a significant change in Ukraine's military leadership.
The decision comes amid growing challenges and an urgent need for support from Western allies as the war enters its third phase.
It remains to be seen how Syrsky and his president will address the ongoing challenges and lead the Ukrainian armed forces through this critical period.
(nak/dpa)
Editor Nail Akkoyun wrote this article and then used an AI language model to optimize it at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.