Territorial Defense Commander Joins Defenders of Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Amid Criticism

The commander of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, Ihor Plakhuta, has joined other top military leaders in defending the country's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Plakhuta stated that attempts to undermine trust in military leadership and create internal conflicts around the figure of the commander-in-chief are dangerous.

He called on Territorial Defense personnel to remain apolitical and not succumb to provocations. According to Plakhuta, criticism of decisions during wartime is acceptable in a democratic society, but when it turns into a personal smear campaign against Syrskyi during an active phase of war, it is irresponsible and plays into the hands of the enemy.

Plakhuta listed Syrskyi's 'most principled traits,' including absolute demands on himself, tremendous work capacity with only a few hours of sleep, and the ability to make instant decisions in the most critical situations. He also noted that Syrskyi is thoroughly informed about the situation on every combat direction and pays great attention to developing the defense forces' capabilities.

This defense came after the Navy and Airborne Forces commanders had also spoken in support of Syrskyi earlier on Sunday. These shows of solidarity occurred against the backdrop of widespread protests that began on July 16 in Kyiv and other cities. Protesters demanded the reinstatement of Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister and the dismissal of Syrskyi. The protests continued on July 19.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi had failed to find common ground and that problems on the battlefield, in brigades, and with mobilization remained unresolved. On July 18, Zelenskyy stated that he had spoken with the former defense minister and the commander-in-chief, promising that 'decisions regarding the army will be developed.'