Resignation of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi: what General Serhiy Kryvonos says about it
The situation surrounding the possible dismissal of the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi and the participation of People’s Deputy Maryana Bezuglai in these discussions is causing great resonance. Recently, calls for changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are often heard in the public space, and Bezugla’s sharp statements about the military further strengthen these sentiments. General Serhii Krivonos, former deputy commander of the Special Operations Forces and deputy secretary of the National Security Council, emphasizesthat behind the active position of the deputy there are deeper political interests.
According to Krivonos, Bezugla is being used as a “litmus test” to test society’s reaction to the potential resignation of Syrskyi and possible changes in the military leadership in general. He considers her sharp critical statements about the “savviness” of the Ukrainian army and accusations of the military for failures at the front as a way of manipulating public opinion and forming a certain attitude towards the army.
“Maryana Bezugla is the specific trigger that determines all the problems that exist.” – believes Kryvonos.
The general notes that such accusations from a deputy who has no service experience and was born only a few years before the collapse of the Soviet Union do not take into account the real problems faced by the Ukrainian military.
Kryvonos also expresses the opinion that the real difficulties in the army are not the result of the “Soviet heritage”, as Bezugla says. The problems, he believes, arose due to the negligence and inaction of the leadership in the 2000s, when the army was left without proper reform and funding, which led to a weakening of its fighting capacity. The political leadership at that time shied away from responsibility for the army, giving priority to completely different issues.
In addition, the general stated that Bezuglai’s statements distract society from more significant problems and challenges that require immediate solutions. He notes that politicians try to focus attention on specific personalities and their decisions, in particular on Syrskyi, which can be beneficial to certain political circles that seek to weaken the army command. Bezugla, according to him, questions the authority of the command at a critical time for the country, which can negatively affect the morale of the military and citizens in general.
Krivonos also emphasizes that it is necessary to pay attention to the problem of political interference in military matters. According to him, such public accusations and attempts to undermine the authority of the command during the active phase of hostilities can have serious consequences for Ukraine’s defense capability. He believes that politicians should avoid trying to manipulate public opinion at the expense of the army and instead support the military, especially at a time when Ukraine is waging a war for its independence.
Thus, Kryvonos urges not to succumb to political manipulations and to focus on real problems, in particular on providing the army with everything it needs and on effective interaction between the military and political leadership. In his opinion, Ukraine now needs unity and support of the military, not their discredit.
