FOR A WEEK FROM January 29, speculation was rife regarding the removal of Ukraine’s army chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. There were anonymous quotes and leaks, especially in news and analysis from western media—most of it from military journalists, bloggers, MPs and politicians. The names of the two contenders to replace Zaluzhnyi were mentioned—General Oleksandr Syrskiy, who was instrumental in liberating Kharkiv and Kherson in 2022, and military intelligence head, General Kyrylo Budanov. But it was reported that both of them refused. Zaluzhnyi was reportedly offered the chair of the National Security Council, which he turned down. While the people of Ukraine anxiously watched, initial statements from presidential spokespersons refuted all speculation.
No sooner had the debate calmed down than it rose again, when Zelensky broke his silence. On February 5, he told Italian radio Rai 1 that he wanted to change some leading figures in the country, not only in the army. His statement broadened the horizon of the changes and the first change came that day itself with the resignation of the minister in charge of veterans’ affairs, Yulia Laputina, who was appointed in 2020.
This story is from the February 18, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 18, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Crowning Glory
Kohli had to be Kohli to help India win the final
Are Fish Oil Supplements Good For The Heart?
A new study that assessed the benefits of fish oil supplements has yielded mixed results.
Ah, Class Act!
Grace, power and clarity-Rohit Sharma's qualities make him, to borrow a Mumbai cricket term, the quintessential valli' player
Fear and the fearless pose
#FerozKhanKaPota was trending on X; so, naturally, I thought Fardeen Khan’s son was making his Bollywood debut.
Mumbo jumbo in the Maldives
Political folklorists say, there’s a charmed circle around every powerful person.
Back to battle
While BJP has the edge in the assembly bypolls, the Trinamool hopes to ride the momentum from the Lok Sabha elections and keep the four seats
TWO OF A KIND
As Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar try to get the better of each other, Karnataka Congress is a divided house
Broom and bust
Beset by legal woes, political setbacks and a leadership vacuum, the AAP faces a credibility crisis
Pants on Fire!
The recent presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was a sorry spectacle that ended with two old men being childish about their golf handicaps.
NO COUNTRY FOR LOVE
Roshan Mathew decided to act in Paradise after a five-hour conversation with its director