From our correspondent
KHARKIV – These are difficult times for Ukraine. Concerns: chaos helps the Russians
In balance General Zaluzhny, the Minister of the Interior and the chief of staff
A “reshuffle” by Zelensky: ministers, generals, and officers.
There is also talk of changes with young officers in the Air Force, the Navy, and recruitment centers. “A real upheaval.
I am very worried. Our military situation is too delicate, we cannot afford a destabilizing crisis at the top of the state.
Zelensky made a mistake in choosing a head-on confrontation with Zaluzhny right now: he is jeopardizing our ability to fight,” summarizes Yaroslav Grizhak, one of the most well-known Ukrainian historians and political scientists. And he explains: “There are many reasons for the conflict.
And the two men have very different characters, which makes cooperation difficult: Zelensky is impulsive, passionate, seeking military victories at all costs, believing that they can persuade Westerners to send arms; Zaluzhny, on the other hand, is a cool-headed thinker who analyzes situations systematically and reacts in the name of the most ruthless realism.” To understand more, we need to get to the root of the problem.
From the first hours of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian leadership chose to rally around the president in the name of national emergency and unity at all costs. It was a great success.
The country’s system resisted the Russian grip. Already in April 2022, the very skillful Zaluzhny managed to organize the few resources available to drive Putin’s columns out of the Kiev region.
Between March and May, he lost Mariupol and the corridor between Donbass, the occupied Crimea, and Kherson; but between September and October, he triumphed in the East, liberated the Kharkiv region to the northern Donbass, and made the most of American and European aid by regaining the western Kherson to the Dnipro. The summer of 2023 was supposed to crown the successes with a counteroffensive in the Southeast aimed at liberating the maximum of occupied areas.
The Russians resisted, this time entrenched on the defensive, bleeding the Ukrainians. Since October, there has been a stalemate.
Zelensky criticizes it, recalling that the Americans were already skeptical of his insistence on fighting for Bakhmut, he would like to soften the draft knowing that many do not like it. The conscription law remains an open wound, while the minister for veterans resigns.
Yesterday, Zelensky asked Parliament to extend martial law for another 90 days, until May 14. The president feels strengthened by European aid, as he highlighted on Sunday visiting the front in Robotyne.
Now there is talk of the possible appointment of Zaluzhny as ambassador to London. “But nothing is certain and chaos helps the Russians.
Politics is being played with the lives of soldiers,” criticizes expert Oleh Zhdanov. He is joined by an old enemy of Zelensky, the mayor of Kiev, Vitaly Klitschko: “Thanks to Zaluzhny, people believe in the Armed Forces.
Enough intrigues!” *Corriere della Sera is also on WhatsApp.
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February 5, 2024 (updated on February 5, 2024 | 21:13)
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