On Friday, Ukraine announced that it had shot down 10 Russian drones in the Kharkiv region overnight.

The defense ministry of Russia reported that their military carried out overnight operations which involved shooting down 19 Ukrainian drones in four areas: Kursk, Bryansk, Oryol, and Krasnodar, as well as the Black Sea.

On Thursday, after days of speculation in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the country’s top military commander who has led the two-year fight against Russia’s invasion, and replaced him with Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

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However, Zelenskyy stated that it was necessary to replace the current leaders of the military.

Zelenskyy stated on the X social media platform that the time has come for this renewal.

“We talked about the necessary renewal for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and potential candidates for the renewed leadership,” he stated.

Zelenskyy stated that he requested for Zaluzhnyi to continue being a “part of the team.”

Zaluzhnyi stated that he and Zelenskyy had a significant and weighty discussion, resulting in a decision to alter the tactics and strategy used on the battlefield.

His statement emphasized the need for change and adaptation to new realities in order to achieve success as a team. This is due to the fact that the tasks in 2022 will be different from those in 2024.

Zaluzhnyi, who is 50 years old, was well-liked by the troops in Kyiv. There is speculation among political analysts in Ukraine that he may run against Zelenskyy for the presidency in future elections once the war is over.

Switching to a new leader, Syrskyi, aged 58, may come as a shock to the troops. He was in charge of Ukraine’s ground forces and is recognized for safeguarding Kyiv during the initial month of the war, as well as leading a victorious counterattack in the northeastern Kharkiv region in autumn of 2022.

However, it is reported that the common soldiers see him as a leader similar to those in the Soviet Union, who kept them in the line of fire for too long in the city of Bakhmut, despite the need for withdrawal in Ukraine.

Both Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi shared a photo on their social media profiles of them exchanging smiles and handshakes. Zaluzhnyi stated, “It has been decided that a shift in approaches and strategy is necessary.”

Russian drones strike

Ukrainian authorities stated on Thursday that Russia launched an attack overnight using 17 drones. This resulted in damage in the cities of Mykolaiv and Odesa, however, there were no reported casualties.

Ukraine’s air force reported that their air defense systems successfully took down 11 drones in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, and Dnipropetrovsk areas.

The governor of Mykolaiv, Vitaliy Kim, reported on Telegram that there was destruction to both residential and industrial structures.

The Regional Governor of Odesa, Oleh Kiper, reported that an incomplete high-rise building and a school were damaged.

The Russian military announced on Thursday that they had intercepted and destroyed a Ukrainian drone that was attempting to attack Crimea.

Following Zelenskyy’s promise to retaliate against Russia for every missile and drone attack, a series of strikes occurred just hours later. The Ukrainian president also announced plans to strengthen their air defense capabilities.

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Both the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) possess

During discussions with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday, Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy leader, stated that the Ukrainian president requested for more ammunition, drones, and air defense systems.

Borrell’s main focus is securing military assistance from the European Union for Ukraine.

On Wednesday, officials from the United States and NATO reiterated their unwavering backing for Ukraine in their ongoing conflict against Russia. At the same time, prominent humanitarian leaders condemned a series of missile strikes, reportedly ordered by Zelenskyy, that resulted in the death of at least five individuals.

At the NATO headquarters, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser of the United States, expressed a sense of assurance despite the sudden failure on Wednesday of a Senate agreement to provide financial support for Ukraine’s defense and strengthen the southern border of the U.S.

During his speech before the bill failed, President Joe Biden stated that the withdrawal of U.S. support is exactly what Putin desires.

However, Sullivan expressed optimism.

In the past day, many Republicans have expressed the importance of providing aid to Ukraine regardless of other circumstances, according to a statement from an unnamed source. President Biden also emphasized the significance of delivering the assistance outlined in the proposed package, stating that any failure to do so would be noted in history.

He emphasized, like other members of the administration, that if Washington fails to follow through, there is no alternative plan.

Sullivan stated in Brussels that ultimately, the United States must step in and provide adequate resources to Ukraine, such as artillery, air defense systems, and other necessary capabilities. Time is crucial in this matter and the focus will remain on fulfilling this obligation.

The data for this report was sourced from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters.

Source: voanews.com