Discord in Ukrainian leadership. Zelenskyy's office criticizes a general
The office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for his public statement regarding the situation at the front. The military's statement was seen as facilitating the enemy's task.
6:12 PM EST, November 5, 2023
Igor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the President's Office in Ukraine, criticized the remarks made by the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, General Valerii Zaluzhny, according to the "New York Times". This is related to an article in "The Economist" where discussions regarding issues with the Ukrainian counteroffensive took place. The general conceded that the war with Russia has reached a standoff and a substantial technological leap would be required to overcome it, although this seems unlikely.
While addressing the nation on television, Deputy Chief of the President's Cabinet, Igor Zhovkva, commented that General Valerii Zaluzhny's words about the front-line situation were aiding the enemy. He further claimed that the statement created "panic" amongst Ukraine's international partners. As per Zhovkva, he received a call from a high-ranking Western official inquiring about the reality of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' deadlock. Zhovkva believes that the military should refrain from sharing information about the front-line situation with the media.
As reported by "The New York Times", President Volodymyr Zelensky contested General Zaluzhny's words. "Time is passing, people are fatigued, and that's understandable. But we are not in a deadlock, I stress this point again," the Ukrainian President remarked in a Saturday press conference.
General Zaluzhny was criticized a day after the dismissal of the commander of Ukraine's Special Forces, Viktor Kharenka. He was relieved of his duty on November 3, after holding the position since July 25, 2022. The newly appointed commander is Colonel Serhiy Lupanchuk.
The division between the military and the president emerges at a time when Ukraine is grappling with significant military and diplomatic challenges, according to "The New York Times". Ukrainian politicians are also concerned that the Israel and Hamas conflict is hijacking the focus of Western allies. "The war in the Middle East is distracting attention," Zelensky claimed on Saturday. Meanwhile, doubts regarding aid to Ukraine have grown amongst some European capitals and members of the Republican Party in the USA.
