Enlarge image

Valeriy Saluschny is expected to move to London soon

Photo:

dpa

General Valeriy Salushny, who was dismissed as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces about a month ago, is to become the new ambassador to Great Britain.

The Foreign Ministry in Kiev announced in the evening that President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had spoken out in favor of appointing Saluzhny to the post.

Now the British side still has to officially agree.

Last July, Zelensky recalled the then Ukrainian ambassador in London, Vadym Prystajko - shortly after he openly criticized him.

Zalushnyj, on the other hand, was very popular with the people during his time as commander-in-chief, but is said to have had a difficult relationship with Zelenskyj.

The presidential office suspected Saluschny or at least those around him of harboring political ambitions.

The relationship of trust between the two was considered strained after Saluschny published a detailed article on the course of the war, including an interview, in the British magazine "Economist" in November.

According to the President's Office, this happened without consultation.

The army chief painted a bleak picture of a stalemate, similar to trench warfare in World War I - Zelensky was still optimistic at the time in his search for Western weapons.

He contradicted Saluzhny.

Another point of contention was different opinions on further military action.

Zelenskyj lacks successes on the front last year and apparently also has concrete plans on how to liberate occupied territories.

There was also a conflict over the military's personnel requirements.

Saluschny had, among other things, called on Zelensky to draft around half a million more people into the military in order to relieve the exhausted soldiers at the front.

Zelenskyj said at a press conference in December that he needed arguments for this.

In January, the parliament in Kiev rejected a corresponding law.

On February 8, Saluzhny was relieved of his post.

Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky was appointed as his successor.

Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for more than two years.

Saluzhny is credited with great achievements in the defense of Kiev and the reconquest of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Before his recall, the general was more popular than Zelensky in polls.

svs/dpa