Ukrainian Military Mobilization Strategies and Leadership Changes

One of the main tasks of the newly appointed Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, is personnel control, said Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Chief of Staff of the President of Ukraine. According to him, out of one million mobilized, as many as 300,000 people participated in actual military operations. Podolyak made these remarks on the "Edyny Novyny" television program.

Commenting on the mobilization situation, Podolyak stated that as of today, there is no specified number of 500,000 conscripts to be mobilized.

"At the last press conference, the president said: look, if the Armed Forces, for example, want 450,000 – they declare, they should clearly say why, for what tasks, and how it will be regulated in the future" - he said.

In his opinion, if there are orders for a specific number of people who must leave to perform certain tasks, questions arise about how to finance it. Regarding mobilization, Podolyak said it is not a one-time thing – for example, 100, 200, 500 thousand – it's about gradual replenishment.

He added that within a month, a certain number of people should be registered for military registration, some of whom will undergo training and then rotation.

"But the president also said something else. For example, yesterday, talking about the change of leadership in the Armed Forces, he said that we have almost a million mobilized today, and on the front line, those who were directly involved in the war are 200-300 thousand, the rest were far from the war. But they are there, they are mobilized. It seems to me that one of Mr. Syrskyi's key tasks is to conduct an audit of where, who, and how they are, and then determine how many more are needed" - Podolyak said.

According to him, mobilization should be permanent, not one-time.

Ukraine's Military Mobilization and Strategic Leadership: Challenges and Responses

Speaking about allowing TCC and JV to work around the clock, Podolyak said that the Cabinet of Ministers met with TCC.

"So that they don't work from 9 to 6, because there's no lunch break and specific time in war. The war goes on, it's a long-term war aimed at exhaustion," Podolyak said. He explained that to eliminate the gap where someone works at a certain time, and people on the front lines work 24/7, military commissioners will also work 24/7.

On February 8, Zelensky dismissed Zaluzhny from the position of Chief Commander of the Armed Forces and appointed Lieutenant General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who previously commanded the Ground Forces, to this position.

Subsequently, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder emphasized that the United States will continue to support Ukraine, despite Zaluzhny's dismissal.

On February 9, it was revealed that President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to former Chief Commander of the Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhny and Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov.