Zelensky move to fire general leaves Ukraine guessing who will command war ( www.washingtonpost.com )
Four days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told his top general that he would soon be fired, a replacement still has not been selected, a senior defense official said Friday, leaving the warring country uncertain why its popular military chief is being sacked and who will lead its troops amid intensifying Russian attacks.
Notifying Gen. Valery Zaluzhny of his imminent dismissal without having a successor ready appeared increasingly to be an impulsive and ill-prepared decision by Zelensky and his team. Reports of the ouster in Ukrainian and international media prompted a backlash among civilians and soldiers who admire Zaluzhny and are waiting for an explanation.
Zelensky’s office has informed the White House of the decision to remove Zaluzhny, two people familiar with the situation told The Washington Post. But at home, the Ukrainian administration has stayed silent after initially denying on Monday that Zaluzhny was being dismissed. Zelensky also has yet to formally remove Zaluzhny through an official decree.