On his Telegram channel, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the requirements facing the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky.
The president noted that the country’s defense forces total nearly one million personnel.
He added that today most troops have not experienced frontline conditions, with only a minority actively fighting on the front lines. This observation suggests the need for a revised approach to mobilization, military rotation, and front-line management.
Zelensky indicated that Syrsky is expected to deliver a detailed, practical action plan for the Ukrainian army for the current year in the near term.
The president stressed that the leadership change within the Armed Forces is not a political decision but a matter of improving army management.
On February 8, Zelensky dismissed Valery Zaluzhny from the post of Commander-in-Chief and appointed General Alexander Syrsky to succeed him. Syrsky hails from the Vladimir region and moved to Ukraine in the 1980s, where he previously led the Ground Forces before being named commander in chief. Since the start of the year, Syrsky had been anticipated as a potential replacement amid discussions around Zaluzhny’s tenure and expected resignation.
Some former officials have suggested reasons behind Zaluzhny’s departure, as reported by various media outlets. [Citation: See public statements and coverage from multiple outlets documenting the leadership transition and its context.]