ZELENSKYY APPOINTS SYRSKYI AS NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF – VIDEO

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy’s address

Quote: "I have appointed Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Starting today, a new management team is taking over the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I want our soldiers in Robotyne or Avdiivka, the General Staff and the Staff to have the same vision of the war.

I have had dozens of conversations with commanders at various levels. In particular, today I spoke to Brigadier Generals Andrii Hnatov, Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Skybiuk, and Colonels Pavlo Palisa and Vadym Sukharevskyi.

All of them are being considered for senior positions in the army and will serve under the leadership of Ukraine's most experienced commander. He has a successful record of defence, having led the Kyiv defence operation. He also has successful experience of offensive operations – the Kharkiv liberation operation."

Details: As of 18:45, no decrees on the dismissal of Valerii Zalyzhnyi and the appointment of Syrskyi have been posted on the President’s website. Zelenskyy has also revealed that he had talked to Generals Yevhen Moisiuk and Mykhailo Zabrodskyi on 8 February.

The President also thanked General Valerii Zaluzhnyi "for two years of defence".

"Today we had a frank conversation about what needs to change in the army. Urgent changes. I offered General Zaluzhnyi the opportunity to continue to be on the team [serving] the Ukrainian state. I will be grateful if he agrees," he wrote. 

Read also: Dismissal on repeat: why Zelenskyy is (or isn't) dismissing Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi

Background: 

Earlier on 8 February, Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi simultaneously reported on their meeting and stated that they had discussed changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

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