According to media reports, significant personnel changes may occur in the Ukrainian military leadership in the coming months. Sources indicate that the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, may be dismissed, although a final decision has not yet been made.
Discussions about this have been going on for at least a month. He has “strained relations” with Yermak and Syrsky, the president is unhappy with some unsuccessful GUR operations, and in general, the OP is annoyed by the media attention of the head of military intelligence.
His potential successor is said to be the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleksandr Ivashchenko.
The situation in the Ministry of Defense is also worrying.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is being criticized for the fact that a year after his appointment, the department is in “chaos.” Manufacturers of military products complain about the chaotic nature of government procurement, which complicates work planning. They note that contract disruptions continue, there is a lack of proper funding, and production is significantly reduced, as a result of which many companies are forced to export it abroad. Potential candidates to replace Umerov are called Deputy Prime Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov and First Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylyuk.
Personnel changes are also being discussed regarding the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Syrsky. The change of the commander-in-chief was considered back in the summer, when the Office of the President conducted interviews with generals. However, according to sources, the tension between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrsky disappeared after the start of the Kursk operation, and now the issue of removing the commander-in-chief is no longer on the agenda.
Personnel changes in the defense sector of Ukraine are becoming increasingly relevant against the background of the current challenges and difficulties faced by the army in wartime. Further developments will depend on the decisions of the president and other officials who shape the military policy of the state.
