UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked the country’s top general today, telling him it’s time for someone new to lead the army.

In a post on the X social media site, President Zelensky said that he thanks General Valerii Zaluzhnyi for his two years of service and discussed possible replacements for the top military job. 

Mr Zelensky said: “The time for such a renewal is now.” 

Later, President Zelensky announced that he had appointed Сolonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, to lead the army. 

The statement follows days of speculation that President Zelensky would sack General Zaluzhnyi, a move that would amount to the most serious shake-up of top brass since Russia’s invasion almost two years ago.

Mr Zelensky had reportedly informed the United States, his key ally, that he intended to remove General Zaluzhnyi.

When questioned about the speculation earlier this week, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters: “We’ve been clear, we’re just not going to get embroiled in that particular decision.”

For months, there has been speculation over major differences between President Zelensky and General Zaluzhnyi over the conduct of the war with Russia — particularly the much-hyped but failed Ukrainian summer offensive.