Zelenskyy wants to replace ‘range of state leaders’, not just Armed Forces chief Zaluzhny

Zelenskyy responded to rumors of the potential firing of Ukraine's Armed Forces Commander Valerii Zaluzhny.

“Ukraine requires a 'reset,' implying a change in leadership — not just in the military,” Zelenskyy said. “I'm talking about something significant that affects not just one person but the direction of the country's governance. This means rotating a range of state leaders, not confined to a single sector such as the military. It's about this replacement, but it's not as simple as swapping one individual.”

Zelenskyy noted the importance of “having the right positive energy" and moving together in one direction without despair for Ukraine's victory. “So, when I talk about a reset, about replacement, I mean something serious that concerns not just one person but the leadership of the country,” Zelenskyy clarified.

The possible removal of Zaluzhny from his position as Armed Forces Chief first was reported by various Ukrainian media on Jan. 29.

Zelenskyy's spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov dismissed these reports, and the President did not mention Zaluzhny's resignation in his Jan. 29 evening address.

Zelenskyy had planned to fire the Armed Forces commander but reconsidered after the information leaked to the media, the New York Times reported.

The potential dismissal stemmed from disagreements over mobilization strategies in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported.

Zaluzhny was offered the position of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council but declined, The Economist reported.

Possible replacements include Kyrylo Budanov, head of Military Intelligence, or Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces.

Zaluzhny published an article outlining a strategy to help Ukraine gain the initiative on the battlefield on CNN on Feb. 1. Zaluzhny wrote about the incapacity of Ukrainian state institutions to improve the defense forces' staffing without unpopular measures and weaknesses in the manufacturing sector that make Ukraine more dependent on ammunition supplies from partners.