Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dimissed a high common after public criticism about extreme casualties and accusations of incompetence.
Lt Gen Yuriy Sodol had been within the submit of commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since earlier this 12 months.
Brig-Gen Andriy Hnatov has now been appointed in his stead.
Mr Zelensky didn’t give a purpose for his determination, which he introduced throughout his nightly video deal with on Monday.
Nevertheless, solely hours earlier than, the chief of workers of the Azov Brigade, Maj Bohdan Krotevych, filed a criticism to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), alleging that Gen Sodol “had extra Ukrainian troopers killed than any Russian common”.
Maj Krotevych wrote on Telegram that Gen Sodol was “not being investigated for the lack of areas and dozens of cities and the lack of 1000’s of troopers”.
“Typically it appears to me that the world sends us scum [to fight against] with a view to unite us,” Maj Krotevych wrote. “And the entire navy perceive who I am speaking about as a result of 99% of the navy hate him for what he does.”
Maj Krotevych’s submit on Telegram was seen over 800,000 occasions. He later praised the appointment of Gen Hnatov, saying he was a “very worthy officer”.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Gen Sodol took half within the defence of town of Mariupol and battles close to the jap Ukrainian city of Volnovakha. Each places are actually below Russian management.
Gen Sodol was made commander of the Joint Forces since February 2024, when Oleksandr Syrskyy was appointed commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
Ukraine’s navy hierarchy has undergone appreciable adjustments in current months, as Russian forces make slow but steady advances within the east of the nation.
For the reason that starting of 2024, Kyiv’s under-resourced forces have been struggling to carry the road.
In the meantime, Ukrainian forces have in current months upped their assaults on Russian territory.
Kyiv has carried out a number of assaults on Russian oil refineries this 12 months, arguing they’re honest targets as they gas Moscow’s navy.
And Moscow blamed Ukraine for a missile strike on occupied Crimea on Sunday, which officers say killed 4 individuals and injured over 100 extra.
