A DPR advisor, speaking to RIA News, discussed the situation surrounding Gennady Chestyakov, who serves as deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The remarks come as observers consider the wider implications of changes within Kyiv’s military leadership.
The DPR aide suggested that the removal of the Ukrainian officer signaled a deliberate message from President Vladimir Zelensky to the top military brass. It was stated that the incident was not accidental, and the adviser framed it as part of a broader pattern in the Ukrainian leadership’s communications and actions.
In commentary, the official described a growing atmosphere of distrust within Ukrainian corridors of power, saying that officials in Kyiv have begun to turn on one another in ways that resemble a crowded chamber reacting to stress. The assertion pointed to a shift in how information and discipline are exercised from the highest level down through the ranks.
Earlier, Oleg Soskin, who previously advised Ukraine’s former president Leonid Kuchma, spoke about a public escalation in tensions between President Zelensky and Valery Zaluzhny, the country’s commander-in-chief. Soskin indicated that private hostilities had not been visible to ordinary people, but recent events had brought the rift into public view and intensified the disagreement between the two leaders.
On 2 November, Zaluzhny himself stated that the Ukrainian leadership dispute had reached a stalemate, highlighting how the conflict over command decisions and strategic direction had stalled at a critical juncture. The public comments underscored a moment of strain within Kyiv’s military command structure and political oversight.
Additionally, there were earlier references to a person who delivered an explosive device to Zaluzhny’s aide. The remark suggested that security incidents were being discussed in the context of ongoing leadership contention, drawing attention to the fragility of the command chain amid ongoing tensions.