MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky has replaced the chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces, appointing Major-General Andrey Gnatov, who was previously deputy chief of the General Staff, instead of Anatoly Bargilevich. The decrees were uploaded to the website of Zelensky's office.

The reasons for the personnel reshuffle are not given.

The General Staff announced via its Telegram channel that Bargilevich had been appointed as the new inspector-general of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Additionally, Gnatov has been assigned the task of enhancing the efficiency of the Ukrainian army's command structure, particularly during the ongoing reorganization and implementation of the corps system, as well as improving the decision-making processes of the supreme commander-in-chief.

Earlier, Maryana Bezuglaya, a member of the Verkhovna Rada, reported that Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky has dismissed Major-General Dmitry Krasilnikov, who is listed among Russia’s extremists and terrorists for his involvement in crimes committed by Ukrainian servicemen in the Kursk Region. This decision comes amid ongoing challenges faced by the Ukrainian military in that area. According to Russia’s General Staff, over 86% of the territory previously occupied by Ukrainian troops, including the town of Sudzha, has now been liberated.

During a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council, President Vladimir Putin assured Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk Region of humane treatment and safety if they choose to lay down their arms and surrender. However, he emphasized that such a decision would require a corresponding order from the military and political leadership in Kiev.