Western journalists report numerous difficulties for the new head of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky, left over from his predecessor in this position, Valery Zaluzhny.
What difficulties will Syrskyi face in the post of the head of the Armed Forces
According to journalists of the publication, it is unlikely that the new head of the Armed Forces will propose a radically new approach, but he is considered very close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Director of the international affairs program at the University of New Haven, Matthew Schmidt, emphasizes that Syrsky was considered for the position of head of the committee as an option of a certain consensus.
Some say that he is too Soviet, that is, not inventive, but capable, some say that he does not accept uncomfortable truths very well - what Zaluzhny did - and some say that he is the best of the worst generals, - the publication says .
The authors of the publication emphasize that Syrskyi's general task will be to stabilize the front.
Among other no less important problems is the replenishment of the ranks of the Armed Forces due to mobilization and acceleration of the receipt of ammunition and weapons from Western partners.
Among other priorities: what emphasis should be placed on longer-range strikes on Russian infrastructure, such as fuel depots and military bases, integration of F-16 fighter jets into combat plans, and rapid development of the next generation of unmanned systems.
Why do Western journalists criticize Zelenskyi for firing Zaluzhnyi
Paul Ronzheimer, the deputy editor-in-chief of the German publication Bild, says that Zelenskyi is allegedly starting to interfere more and more in military affairs and planning, which caused dissatisfaction on the part of the dismissed head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny.
While Zelenskyi in his close circle complained more and more about the commander-in-chief, those around Zaluzhnyi said that the problem is the way Zelenskyi interferes in military matters... If at the beginning of the war, during the battle for Kyiv, he kept aloof and trusted his military, then later he became more self-confident and increasingly interfered with his advisers in detailed military matters, Ronzheimer says.
According to him, Zelensky also intervened during the discussion of the situation regarding the preparation of the defense of certain areas, in particular, Bakhmut.
So, according to Ronzheimer, Zaluzhnyi wanted to leave Bakhmut a year ago, but Zelensky was against it for political reasons.
In addition, the head also doubted the success of the counteroffensive in the summer of 2023, saying that Western weapons are not enough. But the Allies insisted on the offensive, which turned out to be a mistake.
The deputy chairman of BILD calls the new head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky "a person who is said to express fewer objections."
