Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi removed from post

Ukraine's top army chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has been removed from his post by President Volodymr Zelenskyy. It comes a week after the Commander-in-Chief refused to step down.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed on Thursday that Zaluzhnyi had been removed from his position. It's thought that it's because of strained relationship between him and Zelenskyy, which worsened after a failed counter offensive last year.

Having overseen the successful defense of Kyiv in the opening weeks of the war with Russia, and the recapture of some occupied territory in northern and southern Ukraine, Zaluzhnyi is a popular figure who has been rumored to have political ambitions, which he denies.

Reports last week suggested that Zaluzhnyi had refused to resign and potential replacements declined to take on the role.

At the time Oleksii Goncharenko, a Ukrainian opposition MP and ally of Zaluzhnyi, spoke about the potential for the army chief being forced out.

"Personally I think this is a bad idea. There are not fundamental issues between them but Zelenskyy’s office has been concerned that Zaluzhnyi has been making political not military statements.”

The decision to oust Zaluzhnyi needed approval from the Defence Minister. The most likely replacement would be Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, responsible for covert operations against Moscow.