The decree gave no justification for the change. Zelenskyy only mentioned Moskalyov in his daily video on Friday, when he listed the commanders with whom he had spoken about the military situation. Moskalyov took command of the combined forces in March 2022, just days after the start of the Russian war of aggression.
Zelenskyy had recently replaced several high-ranking civil servants and he justified this with allegations of corruption. Notable cases included that of a deputy defense secretary who resigned after a report he disputed that his department had overpaid for rations. The head of the department, Oleksiy Resnikov, strongly condemned the corruption.
Change of Secretary of Defense?
Ahead of an expected spring Russian offensive and amid the fight against corruption, Zelenskyi also announced a change at the top of the defense ministry earlier this month. It is said that the head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, will replace Resnikov – but it is unclear if and when that will actually happen. While Resnikov is a lawyer, Budanov recalls a military career. Reznikov took office in November 2021, a few months before the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
Russian focus on Bakhmut
The Russian military is currently concentrating its attacks on the front in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk. The focus is on the strategically important town of Bachmut, which has been fought over for weeks with both sides suffering heavy losses. Only on Saturday did the Russian mercenary group Wagner announce the capture of a suburb of Bakhmut, which is about two kilometers from the city center. Zelenskyy has been showing for weeks that he is unhappy with the situation at the front. He repeatedly described the situation as difficult and painful.
Ukraine: Russian offensive in the east
According to the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian offensive in the east of the country has failed. Both sides made contradicting statements. In a speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced his intention to reconquer the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Kyiv: Fronts unchanged
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the front sections in eastern Ukraine remained unchanged. Although Russian troops attacked at several points with air and artillery support, they were unable to break through, the staff said in its daily evening situation report. As in previous days, the heaviest fighting was fought in Kupyansk, Bakhmut, Limansk, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk.
The absolute focus was once again on the city of Bachmut, disputed for weeks. A series of Russian attacks against smaller suburbs was repulsed there. In Bachmut, members of the notorious Wagner mercenary troupe fight alongside the Russians. Information about the course of the war, whether on the Russian or Ukrainian side, cannot be independently verified.