Zelensky appoints new ground forces chief


KYIV, UKRAINE: Ukrainian President Voloydmyr Zelensky on Thursday appointed Gennadiy Shapovalov as commander of the countryโs ground forces, replacing a previous commander who resigned following a deadly Russian strike on an army training ground.
Shapovalov worked as a military aid liaison in Germany and previously commanded Ukraineโs southern military district.
In his evening address, Zelensky said he hoped Shapovalov would bring โreal combat experienceโ to the role and called for changes in the Ukrainian army, which is struggling to hold off Moscowโs forces more than three years into Russiaโs invasion.
โChanges are needed, this is a mandatory issue,โ Zelensky said in his evening address.
Moscowโs forces have been advancing across the front line for over a year and have been making inroads in Ukraineโs Sumy region, which the Kremlin had not occupied since the start of the war.
Peace talks on ending the conflict have stalled in recent weeks and Kyivโs biggest ally, Washington, is now focusing its attention on the Middle East.
Russia says it is open to a peace settlement but Kyiv has accused Moscow of deliberately sabotaging talks to prolong the fighting.