The President's office planned a permutation in the military leadership, but while changing his mind - the media

Yes, British political scientist Mark Galeotti writes about it in The Spectator. As Galeotti points out, referring to their sources, the first to tell about the possible resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who thought: either released or about released or free. Insider sources of Western journalists, as noted by the political scientist, have not confirmed and did not refute these statements.

"However, soon the pendulum of reports swung the other way, and this morning it became clear that Zaluzhny was still in his position," Galeotti emphasized. And he reported the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in which she immediately addressed all journalists and noted that everything was "not true". At the same time, Galeotti still believes that the President's office really planned the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces.

He even calls the successor - the head of the GUR Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov. According to Galeotti, on the morning of January 30, its source, a high -ranking European diplomat, reported that Bankova "seemed to have come to mind. " Those sources that argued that there is a presidential decree on the replacement of Zaluzhny, but it has not yet been signed because it is expected to consult with Western supporters.

"However, if there was a serious intention to release the Zaluzhny, then the intensity of yesterday's storm on social networks and the level of confusion would cause a whole flurry of warning shots," Galeotti said and reminds the specific wording that was heard from the mouth The President did not release Zaluzhny.

" According to Galeotti, rumors are more or less plausible, as they really testify to the real political split that arose between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, along with his political team and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny.

At the same time, the first real apple of discord the political scientist calls the plan last year's counter -offensive - although, according to the political scientist, he was not a complete failure, but Zaluzhny did not return many territories. "At the same time, Ukraine was able to seriously weaken many Russian opportunities and clear again (from Russian invaders. - Ed. ) The Black Sea, but the counter -offensive was obviously much less successful than they hoped and planned," Galeotti says.

He recalls that Zaluzhny, together with the British and US military, wanted to focus on the South offensive efforts to try to break through the "Land Bridge" with Crimea. However, according to the political scientist, Zelensky insisted on a wide offensive throughout the front. "Looking back, we can say that it meant many operations of a smaller scale, which was largely hampered by the Russian defense line," Galeotti said.

When Zaluzhny later called the result a "pathoric situation", the Zelensky team perceived it as a criticism of the presidential strategy, and Zelensky publicly reproached him in extra pessimism. At the same time, the newly appointed Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov began to release and reassign officers close to Zaluzhny. According to Galeotti, hostility, apparently, comes from the President's office.

The political scientist reminds that the head of the presidential administration Andriy Yermak is quite alert to the "iron general" - Zaluzhny only public person who is approaching Zelensky in the rating of national popularity. "In the survey conducted at the end of 2023, he was confident with 98% of respondents (compared to 93% compared to the president "Always (Ed. The first step towards creating the basis for political movement. obvious.

Alternatively, this idea could be launched - whether Zelensky or Yermak - as a trial ball, "Galeotti thinks. At the same time, he believes that although irreplaceable people do not exist, predictable candidates for replacement of the rise, seem to have no status. "Army commander Alexander Sirsky is considered to be close to Zelensky, but he lacks the authority of the Zaluzhny among the military.