Valeriy Zaluzhnyi is still the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although on Monday evening several Ukrainian and Western media outlets cited their sources as saying that he had been (or would be) dismissed.
The information that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy really intends to dismiss Zaluzhnyi was confirmed on Tuesday by sources of the British newspaper Financial Times.
According to its publication, Zelensky offered Zaluzhny a new position on Monday, but he refused. This information was provided to the FT by four sources familiar with the discussions.
At the same time, the newspaper's sources note that as a result, the president did not dismiss Zaluzhnyi and may not take this step for some time after reports of the possible dismissal of the commander-in-chief appeared in the media.
The British newspaper's sources also claim that Zelenskyy's office has already made a decision to dismiss Zaluzhnyi, which the president informed the commander-in-chief about during a meeting on Monday.
The FT's sources said that Zelensky offered Zaluzhnyi an advisory position, which the general rejected.
It is still unclear when Zaluzhny is to be dismissed and who will replace him, the authors write. Among the possible candidates for the post of commander-in-chief are the commander of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, and the head of the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, the publication says. Both are close to Zelensky, the authors note.
They also write that Zelensky's relationship with Zaluzhnyi remains tense, and last November, their disagreements began to be actively reported by journalists.
According to the publication, Zaluzhny's dismissal will cause outrage among Ukrainian officers and civil society.
The FT quoted one of the experts, military historian Mykhailo Zhyrokhov, as saying that such a move would "have an extremely negative impact on the army."
The Dzerkalo Tyzhnia weekly published its own version, according to which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did meet with Zaluzhnyi to discuss his resignation.
"Dzerkalo Tyzhnia claims that Zelensky offered the commander-in-chief to write a report, "but did not offer him another significant position that he could take." The outlet cites sources both in the president's office and in Zaluzhny's entourage.
"Yes, there was such a proposal," the source said when asked if Zelensky offered to keep Zaluzhny as commander of the Armed Forces. Zaluzhnyi allegedly replied that it was Zelensky's right to decide who he would work with.
When asked whether the Armed Forces chief was going to write a report in the future, Dzerkalo Tyzhnia reported the answer as follows: "No, he has not written it and does not intend to do so."
The publication also reminds that resignation requires the submission of Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. As for the offers of a new job, the sources say: "It was only about the status of an assistant or advisor".
Background. Earlier, Zaluzhnyi said that the military command did not request the mobilization of 500,000 people.