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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor

Unclear how Zelenskiy’s removal of military commander will improve Ukraine’s position

Volodymyr Zelenskiy with the outgoing Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy with the outgoing Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/EPA

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s decision to replace his most senior military commander may solve a political problem, but it is not clear how it can improve Ukraine’s weakening position on the battlefield.

It was clear that the outgoing Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi had lost the confidence of the Ukrainian leader, who had come to be wary of the general’s popularity and saw him as a political threat. By refusing to resign when asked by the president last week, Zaluzhnyi had created an untenable situation at the top.

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