Kyiv:

Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces who was replaced on Thursday, became a national hero two years ago for repelling Moscow’s invading forces, but he suffered setbacks on the battlefield as the war wore on.

The move ends intense speculation over his fate amid reports of friction between him and President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky’s authority will be tested as he seeks to rally troops and change the dynamics of the war under a new army chief of staff.

A counteroffensive launched last June has made little progress in the south and east, with Ukrainian forces floundering, while Russian forces have suffered small but costly defeats at several points along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front.

Western military and financial support is no longer guaranteed, leaving Kyiv more vulnerable to Russian drone and missile attacks that are draining Ukraine of resources.

Given Zaluzny’s popularity and proven abilities as an inspirational commander, the fact that Zelensky replaced him may reflect a desire for a new approach on the battlefield.

In an opinion piece published by CNN on February 1, Zalukhzny reiterated his view that Ukraine can only compete with the U.S. through technological innovation, including drones and other advanced weapons. Competition from the much larger Russian military.

He also criticized state agencies for failing to push through unpopular legislation to reform the way Ukrainians mobilize for fighting amid a shortage of soldiers and growing fatigue among those already serving.

hero to many

In February 2022, Ukrainian soldiers used covert action and speed to thwart a Russian advance on Kiev, helping to ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin was still a long way from conquering Ukraine.

As the war progressed, Zaluzhny’s popularity continued to grow, and his troops launched counteroffensives in the northeast and south, recapturing large tracts of land and raising hopes of victory, winning praise at home and abroad.

After the liberation of the southern city of Kherson, his portrait was spray-painted on a wall, smiling and waving a peace sign with the slogan “God and Zaluzhny are with us.”

Since then, Ukraine’s battlefield momentum has stalled, but opinion polls show that 92% of Ukrainians still trust Zaluzhny at the end of last year, much higher than Zelensky’s 77%.

In November, Zaluzhny was quoted by The Economist as saying the war was at a “stalemate,” a pessimistic assessment that was at odds with Zelensky’s more optimistic vision, and friction between the two men was reported to have begun in November. Month made public.

The 50-year-old four-star general rarely speaks in public but occasionally appears in news briefings, poring over maps and addressing commanders in camouflage uniforms, saying at the time that better technology is The key to breaking the deadlock.

The presidential office reprimanded him, and a senior Zaluzhny official said Zelensky went over the general’s head and fired him.

If he enters politics – although he has never expressed political ambitions – the “Iron General” could become a powerful force.

A burly “volunteer”

After Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Zaluzhny began receiving military training, graduated with honors and was promoted.

In 2014, he experienced real conflict while serving in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed militants seized territory.

Zaluzhny, a tall man with short hair and his military call sign “Volunteer”, is known for his rapport with subordinates and allowing local commanders to make their own decisions on the battlefield.

His warning in November that the war was slipping into a phase of attrition suited to Russia was at odds with official rhetoric from Kiev but for many of his soldiers was a painful realization of reality on the battlefield.

Russia has been building defenses since late 2022 after humiliating defeats in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions, while recent progress in Ukraine has been hampered.

Although there are no reliable official figures, tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed or injured on both sides.

Ukraine desperately needs to replenish its overstretched and exhausted ranks, but the government has been unable to amend conscription laws to help recruit up to 500,000 soldiers.

Kiev also struggles to maintain Western support, which is crucial to its war effort.

The United States has failed to deliver on a huge aid package it had promised, even as the European Union overcame weeks of Hungarian resistance and agreed to provide $54 billion in new support to support Ukraine.

Even so, Zaluzhny’s position will be difficult to fill as Europe’s worst conflict since World War II enters its third year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)