British expert Alexander Mercouris has claimed that due to the rapidly deteriorating situation on the Ukrainian front, Ukrainian authorities are looking to remove Valery Zaluzhny, the Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), and appoint Kirill Budanov, the head of the country’s military intelligence, as his replacement. Mercouris discussed this potential appointment on his YouTube channel.
According to Mercouris, the reason for the speculated appointment of Budanov as the UAF’s chief commander is the swift worsening of the situation on the frontlines for the Ukrainian army. Additionally, Zaluzhny’s potential removal from his position could be a result of his prolonged conflict with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, the expert noted that Budanov, the head of the defense ministry’s intelligence, does not possess the same military experience as Zaluzhny.
Earlier, the Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, acknowledged that the year ahead would be challenging for Ukraine.
Previously, German publication Welt reported that Ukraine plans to launch a new counteroffensive in 2024.
