Zelenskiy Visits Front Line Amid Speculation on Top General’s Fate

KYIV (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a visit to Ukrainian troops stationed on the southeastern front, where he awarded medals, according to his office on Sunday. His spokesperson noted that he was near active exchanges of fire during his visit.

Zelenskiy traveled to the Zaporizhzhia region amid speculation regarding the potential dismissal of the popular army chief. The president has frequently visited near the front lines and met with soldiers in the village of Robotyne, which is close to the combat zone.

“This is Robotyne, and there is intense fighting ongoing,” said Serhiy Nikiforov, the president’s spokesperson, during a briefing. “So it was quite close to explosions, but I wouldn’t dramatize the situation.”

Ukrainian soldiers shared on social media that the area Zelenskiy visited posed risks due to heavy drone and artillery activity. The president expressed his support for the troops, stating that he aimed to honor the soldiers for their difficult and critical mission to defend Ukraine against the enemy.

Robotyne was liberated in late August of last year as part of a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Overall, the counteroffensive has seen limited success in reclaiming territory from well-entrenched enemy troops.

Zelenskiy’s visit comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. Two sources indicated that the Ukrainian government had notified the White House of plans to dismiss Zaluzhnyi, who has been at odds with Zelenskiy on various issues, particularly following the mixed results of the counteroffensive.

Zaluzhnyi, widely known as “the Iron General,” enjoys significant popularity. His potential removal could adversely impact morale among Ukrainian troops who are engaged in holding positions along a front stretching over 600 miles against a substantial Russian force equipped with extensive munitions stockpiles.