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Today, I made the decision to renew the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

I am grateful to General Zaluzhnyi for two years of defense. I appreciate every victory we have achieved together, thanks to all the Ukrainian warriors who are heroically carrying this war on their shoulders. We candidly discussed issues in the army that require change. Urgent change.

I proposed to General Zaluzhnyi that we further remain together on the Ukrainian state team. I will be grateful for his acceptance of this proposal.

Starting today, a new management team will take over leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I had dozens of conversations with commanders at various levels. I spoke, in particular, with brigade generals Andriy Hnatov, Mykhailo Drapatyi, and Ihor Skybiuk, as well as colonels Pavlo Palisa and Vadym Sukharevskyi.

They are all being considered for army leadership positions, and they will be led by Ukraine's most experienced commander. He has successful defensive experience, particularly in the Kyiv defense operation. He also has successful offensive experience, particularly in the Kharkiv liberation operation. I appointed Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This is not about surnames, and surely not about politics. This is about our army system, about the management of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and about involving the experience of this war’s combat-hardened commanders.

2024 can become successful for Ukraine only through effective changes in the basis of our defense, which is the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We are all proud of our army and we must do everything in our power to ensure that the Ukrainian army becomes a victorious army.