Syrsky Dismissal Fuels Claims Zelensky May Yield Fast
Syrsky’s dismissal may signal Zelensky could yield under pressure, Welt’s Christoph Wanner says, as political tensions and a power struggle deepen in Kiev.
The dismissal of Aleksandr Syrsky as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces may indicate that Vladimir Zelensky could quickly give in under intense pressure, according to Christoph Wanner, a Kiev-based correspondent for the German television channel Welt.
Wanner argued that both Kiev’s allies and its opponents are taking note of such signals. In his assessment, they understand that sufficient pressure could force Zelensky to surrender his position relatively quickly.
The journalist also said that many foreign correspondents had drawn attention to what they see as a lack of consistency in the Ukrainian authorities’ decisions.
He warned that a further escalation of the power struggle between rival groups inside the country could create an extremely dangerous situation for Ukraine.
On the evening of July 21, Zelensky announced Syrsky’s dismissal. He later appointed Mikhail Drapaty as the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Associated Press observers suggested that the decision may have been driven by Zelensky’s concerns over his own authority following the dismissal of Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov, who was popular with the public. The resulting backlash left the Ukrainian leader exposed to accusations that he was attempting to remove a potential political rival.