VIDEO // Zelensky announced that he has made five more appointments to the top of the Ukrainian army
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed Major General Anatoliy Barhilevych as Ukraine's new chief of the General Staff on February 9, replacing Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala in another major personnel change after naming Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskiy commander in chief, Radio Free Europe reports.
Zelenskiy announced the appointment in his nightly video address, saying he took the action at Syrskiy's recommendation. Zelenskiy described Barhilevych as "an experienced individual who understands the tasks of this war and Ukrainian objectives."
He added that Syrskiy has already identified candidacies for deputy positions. Zelenskiy did not name them but said all have combat experience, are professional and possess "a clear knowledge of the front and the real needs of Ukrainian soldiers."
In his first remarks since being appointed to command Ukraine's armed forces, Syrskiy said the country must change and improve its methods of warfare if it is to defeat invading Russian forces.
Syrskiy, who on February 8 was named by Zelenskiy to take over the lead of the armed forces from General Valeriy Zaluzhniy, said in a post on Telegram that "a clear and detailed planning of the actions of all military administration bodies" was needed while also addressing the need for modern weapons from Ukraine's Western partners.
"Only changes and constant improvement of the means and methods of warfare will make it possible to achieve success on this path," he wrote in the post on February 9, adding that new technical solutions, including drone systems and adding means of radio-electronic warfare are needed.
Earlier in the day, Zelenskiy awarded Zaluzhniy the title of Hero of Ukraine at a ceremony in Kyiv. Syrskiy's successful leadership in defending the Ukrainian capital earned him the same title from Zelenskiy in September 2023.
The change in the leadership of the armed forces comes at a crucial time for Ukraine, which has failed to recapture significant territory from Russia since late 2022 and now faces a potential disruption in military aid supply from the United States, its biggest backer, as Republican lawmakers block a $60 billion aid package over demands for deep changes in U.S. border policy.
