Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday named former army chief General Valery Zalujnyi as Kiev’s ambassador to Britain, an important diplomatic post but one that will take him outside the country, Reuters reports.
Valeri Zalujnîi, decorated by Zelenski. The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Army was awarded the title of “Hero of Ukraine”Photo: Pool / Ukrainian Presidency / Zuma Press / Profimedia
The decree on Zalujnî’s appointment as ambassador was published on the website of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. Ukraine has not had an ambassador in London since last July, when Zelenskiy fired ambassador Vadim Pristaiko days after he publicly criticized him.
Zalujnii enjoys a huge level of trust among Ukrainians, with opinion polls showing that, unlike Zelenskiy, his popularity has remained largely unaffected by last year’s failed offensive.
In fact, it was Zalujnîi who, in comments made to The Economist last November, hinted that the offensive in which Ukraine had placed huge hopes had failed.
His comments were immediately criticized by Zelenskiy’s office, which denied that the offensive was stalled. The months that followed, however, proved the officer right.
Zelensky called the general “Hero of Ukraine”
Zelenskiy replaced Zalujnîi as army chief on February 8, after months of rumors and speculation. The Ukrainian president made the decision just days after Zalujnîi criticized the Ukrainian authorities for the slowness with which they are debating the new mobilization bill.
In his usual end-of-day speech, Zelenskiy launched a veiled criticism of Zalujnii after dismissing him, saying “if a general doesn’t know the front line, he doesn’t serve Ukraine.” His comment was seen by some analysts as an attack on Zalujnîi, who is a General Staff officer and has not conducted frontline operations since the outbreak of the war on February 24, 2022.
His replacement instead, General Oleksandr Sîrski, commanded the Ground Forces of Ukraine and is considered Ukraine’s most successful general, having masterminded the September 2022 Kharkiv Oblast offensive and leading the defense of Kyiv in the early days of the invasion.
However, Zelensky awarded General Zalujnyi the title of “Hero of Ukraine” two days after dismissing him.
Zelenskiy approved his appointment as Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain more than a month after Ukraine’s foreign ministry nominated him for the vacant post.
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Tags: Zelensky appointed popular General Valery Zalujnyi commander army ambassador Ukraine London
