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Change of Ukraine’s military commander-in-chief to have no impact on frontline — expert

Ralf Bosshard noted that by changing the head of the Defense Ministry, Vladimir Zelensky "wants to demonstrate that he is fighting corruption" and thereby "reduce the pressure on himself"

GENEVA, July 28. /TASS/. The replacement of the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army will not substantially affect the course of combat operations in Ukraine, since the capabilities of the new command will be limited by the available resources, Ralf Bosshard, a former special adviser on military affairs to the OSCE Secretary General (2014-2020) and a retired colonel of the Swiss Armed Forces General Staff, told TASS.

"I do not expect any practical consequences, as the new commander-in-chief will also be forced to work with the means at his disposal. His room for maneuver is limited, even if he may believe that he has new and better ideas than his predecessor," the expert explained. According to his assessments, the change of commander-in-chief could "only have a short-term effect" and will not lead to "sustainable changes in the situation at the front.

Bosshard also noted that by changing the head of the Defense Ministry, Vladimir Zelensky "wants to demonstrate that he is fighting corruption" and thereby "reduce the pressure on himself."

On July 14, Fyodorov was removed from the post of the Ukrainian defense minister, partly due to infighting with Syrsky. On July 16, protest rallies against Fyodorov’s dismissal started in Ukrainian cities. The protesters gradually began to demand not only the return of Fyodorov, but also the dismissal of Syrsky. On the sixth day of the protests, Zelensky announced firing Syrsky, and later – the appointment of Mikhail Drapaty as Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, although protesters continue demanding Fyodorov’s reinstation.

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