Ukraine’s new top general reveals major change to war strategy

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have entered into a new stage of the war against Moscow, one that will see Kyiv work to exhaust Russian resources according to a statement from the country's newly appointed Commander-in-Chief. 

On February 8th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky removed the country’s most important military leader, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and many other top military officials in an attempt to restart the war effort. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @V_Zelenskiy_official

General Zaluzhnyi was replaced by the then-Commander of Ukrainian Ground Forces Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, a man who had served in that capacity since 2019 according to a report from CNN. 

Syrskyi was quick to reveal his intention to shift the direction of the war and on February 9th the new top general in Ukraine explained on Telegram that he planned to generate a new momentum in the conflict. 

“New tasks are on the agenda,” Syrskyi wrote according to The Associated Press, and he stressed the need to maintain a “balance between the fulfillment of combat tasks and the restoration of units with the intensification of training.”

Syrskyi outlined the main problems that needed to be addressed by military leadership, which included immediate improvements to troop rotation as well as a focus on bringing more modern tech into the armed forces. 

“New technical solutions and the scaling of successful experience, such as the use of unmanned systems and modern electronic warfare means” was another area of focus that Syrskyi mentioned. But more about the general’s plans have been released. 

During an interview with the German news outlet ZDF, Syrskyi outlined his plan to shift the direction of the entire war away from the offense and toward a defensive posture he hopes will bleed Russia of its manpower and equipment. 

"We have transitioned from offensive actions to conducting a defensive operation,” the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief explained according to a translation of his remarks from the Ukrainian news website RBC-Ukraine. 

“The goal of our operation is to exhaust the enemy, inflict maximum losses on them, using our fortifications, our technical advantages, in terms of unmanned aviation, EW systems, and maintaining prepared defense lines," Syrskyi added.

Syrskyi also explained that the lives of Ukrainian soldiers could not be neglected in the fight for territory conquered by Russia, and said that the war has made technology and its progress more important on the battlefield. 

Ground robotics programs are already yielding benefits according to Syrskyi. “Modules that are remotely controlled… make it possible to save the lives of military personnel.,” Syrskyi explained. “Thus, the war is entering a new stage." 

Syrskyi spoke about the current situation on the frontlines and indicated that things were difficult for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The situation is growing ever more dire in areas like Kupiansk, where Ukrainian positions are assaulted daily. 

“The enemy basically started this offensive operation on 3 October 2023 and has been conducting a high-intensity offensive for four months,” Syrskyi explained according to a translation from Ukrainska Pravda. However, some things are going well. 

Syrskyi noted that the assaults on Kupyansk have cost Russia delay in both soldiers and material. “Their losses, especially in manpower killed, according to latest reports, are seven-eight times higher than ours,” he said. 

When asked if the war would end, and if it would end as soon as possible, Syrskyi said that it “all depends on the level of support and efficiency of our actions,” which is a clear sign the new Commander-in-Chief is worried about the lack of help from Kyiv’s allies.