The head of the Joint Forces Command has been fired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky due to claims that he caused huge casualties in the current conflict with Russia. On Monday, June 24, Zelensky announced that Brig Gen Andriy Hnatov had taken Lt Gen Yuriy Sodol’s place. Although he did not provide an explanation for the reorganization, many are connecting it to serious accusations made by Bohdan Krotevych, the commander of the renowned Azov regiment in Ukraine.
In a subtle jab at Sodol, Krotevych stated on the messaging service Telegram a few days ago that an unidentified general “has killed more Ukrainian soldiers than any Russian general.”
He continued, “99% of the military personnel despise him for what he does, so they all know who I am talking about.”
Additionally, he urged the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) of Ukraine to look into Sodol’s actions.
Krotevych responded to the news of the appointment by saying, “Hnatov is a very good officer.” I’m hoping for better news at the front.
In February 2023, Sodol was named commander of the Joint Forces Command during a contentious military reorganization that resulted from deteriorating ties between Zelensky and a well-liked general, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
After a number of significant shifts in military command, Sodol left. He was in command of the land forces in eastern and southern Ukraine, which were facing an onslaught from Russia.
Several of the nation’s military observers have applauded his termination.
According to former Kyiv Independent defense correspondent Illia Ponomarenko, Sodol was a “highly unpopular high-ranking military commander with a notoriously gruesome service.”
Furthermore, the US and the EU have also declared plans to provide military assistance to the country that is ravaged by conflict. A first tranche of military aid worth up to $1.5 billion, derived from the proceeds of blocked Russian assets, was on its way to Kyiv, the European Union announced on Monday.