Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Oleksandr Syrskyi as the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he announced in a statement on Thursday evening.
Syrskyi, who previously served as commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, will take the place of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.
Zelensky said that Syrskyi boasted “successful experience of defence and offence”, which he gained both in the operation to defend Kyiv and the Kharkiv counteroffensive in 2022.
Zelensky’s statement followed a meeting with General Zaluzhnyi, in which the Ukrainian president informed his commander-in-chief of his dismissal.