NewsBombshell shakeup in Ukrainian military after damning accusations

Bombshell shakeup in Ukrainian military after damning accusations

Main photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the circle: Gen. Yuriy Sodole
Main photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the circle: Gen. Yuriy Sodole
Images source: © Zelenskyi

2:22 PM EDT, June 24, 2024

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed General Yurii Sodol, the Commander of the United Armed Forces of Ukraine. The day before, Bohdan Krotevych, the Chief of Staff of the Azov Brigade of the National Guard, requested the Ukrainian Intelligence Service initiate an investigation into Sodol, accusing him of massive losses in the units.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in his evening speech that after a meeting with the Supreme Commander, Chief of the General Staff, and the Minister of National Defense, he decided to "replace the Commander of the United Armed Forces, General Yurii Sodol, with General Andrii Hnatov."

The day before, Bohdan Krotevych, the Chief of Staff of the Azov Brigade of the National Guard, requested that the State Bureau of Investigations of Ukraine (SBI) investigate General Sodol.

Sources from Ukrainian Pravda report that Krotevych accuses the general of "exceeding his authority and incompetent military command," which led to the "loss of a large part of Ukraine's territory," and requests that the commander be checked "for collaboration with the enemy."

"In my opinion, he (through his decisions - ed. note) killed more Ukrainian soldiers than any Russian general. While giving testimony in matters that I cannot discuss, I spoke about, in my opinion, committed war crimes," - Krotevych wrote on Telegram.

Krotevych also stated that he doesn't care if an investigation is initiated against him or if he goes to prison. SBI officially confirmed receiving the notification on Monday afternoon.

As we read in the extensive Telegram post published on Sunday, "the entire army understands who I am talking about because 99 percent of the soldiers hate him for what he does."

"This person initiates investigations against commanders who move forward and do not lose positions but does not initiate official investigations against himself,"- Krotevych wrote. "The Rubicon has been crossed. (...) And the only thing I will always be ashamed of is that I didn’t do it earlier. Fortune favors the brave, and some creatures are helped by the fact that the majority remains silent, understanding the consequences of 'personal revenge' on themselves and their units. That is why I emphasize that this is my personal decision, and I fully accept its consequences," - confessed the soldier from the Azov Brigade.