Zelensky appoints new ground forces chief

KYIV, UKRAINE: Ukrainian President Voloydmyr Zelensky on Thursday appointed Gennadiy Shapovalov as commander of the countryโ€™s 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 Ukraineโ€™s southern military district.

In his evening address, Zelensky said he hoped Shapovalov would bring โ€œreal combat experienceโ€ to the role and called for changes in the Ukrainian army, which is struggling to hold off Moscowโ€™s forces more than three years into Russiaโ€™s invasion.

โ€œChanges are needed, this is a mandatory issue,โ€œ Zelensky said in his evening address.

Moscowโ€™s forces have been advancing across the front line for over a year and have been making inroads in Ukraineโ€™s 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 Kyivโ€™s 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.