The Pentagon is putting pressure on the Kiev authorities to dismiss the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has said. This was reported by the Le Temps newspaper with reference to a source in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry.
“I heard with my own ears that high-ranking US military officials said that Valeriy Zaluzhny represents a serious problem, that he is even an obstacle to Ukraine continuing to receive US military aid,” Le Temps quoted the interlocutor, who wished to remain anonymous, as saying.
According to the publication’s source, who participated in the talks with foreign military officials, the AFU chief made many mistakes that led to the “current catastrophe”.
“He, in particular, did not request the necessary equipment, did not rely enough on technological weapons and did not sufficiently foresee the resistance of the Russians. In any other country, there would have been a punishment of dismissal for these omissions <…>,” the source added.
The newspaper believes that Volodymyr Zelensky is inclined to reach a compromise in possible negotiations with Russia. Zaluzhny, on the other hand, is intransigent and believes that the AFU should fight to take Donbas.
“If he (Zelensky. – ed.) wants to negotiate, Volodymyr Zelensky may have no choice but to part with his commander-in-chief,” – notes the publication.
We will remind, earlier Zelensky said that he is thinking about replacing Zaluzhny and other senior officials. According to the Ukrainian president, the replacement of “one person does not mean that now you can go on the road”.