Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy Appoints New Commander‑in‑Chief Amid Protests

Kyiv announced on Tuesday that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi as Ukraine’s commander‑in‑chief, appointing General Oleksandr Syrskyi to the post after a wave of public demonstrations demanding new leadership. The decision follows three days of nationwide protests in which citizens, veterans’ groups and opposition politicians gathered outside the Ministry of Defence, citing concerns over the pace of the counteroffensive and mounting casualties in the eastern front.

Zaluzhnyi, who had led the armed forces since early 2022, will remain in a senior advisory role, while Syrskyi, previously commander of the Joint Forces Operation, is expected to steer the ongoing offensive and coordinate with Western partners on military aid. Ukrainian officials emphasized that the transition aims to reinforce operational effectiveness and restore public confidence, and the Kremlin has described the reshuffle as an internal matter. The change marks a significant shift in Ukraine’s war strategy as the conflict enters its second year.