The former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksander Sirski, emphasized this Wednesday, a day after his dismissal by order of President Volodymyr Zelensky, that he hands over to his successor "an Army that not only maintains defense but is also on the offensive" against Russia, which launched the invasion in February 2022 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I hand over to my successor an Army that not only maintains defense but is also on the offensive: with initiative, with organization, with people who know how to defeat the enemy," he indicated. "I sincerely hope that this offensive continues. Everything is prepared for it," he added in a message disseminated on social media, in which he assured that Ukrainian forces have "liberated" 743 square kilometers of territory.
"The Army, which two years ago was immersed in a difficult defense, is now advancing," Sirski insisted, highlighting that Ukraine "has closed the port of Novorossiysk, in the Black Sea, and is systematically destroying the enemy's 'phantom fleet'." He also explained that "we have transformed the Army into a structure of military bodies, we have moved combat officers to the headquarters, and we have established as a norm that the path to leadership positions goes through the front."
In this way, he stressed that reforms have not only occurred "on the battlefield" but also "in the essence" of the Armed Forces, with Kyiv "being the first in the world to create an independent branch for Drone Forces." "We have expanded it from individual units to a system that today makes the enemy feel that they do not have a secure rear," he emphasized.
"For every officer, this is the greatest responsibility: to lead the Army during a great war," Sirski pointed out, who noted that "he has lived on the front" and "knows the price of every square kilometer of liberated Ukrainian territory." "Between February and March 2022, I had the honor of commanding the defense of Kyiv and, with our joint efforts, the capital held out," he recalled.
He also explained that when he took command of the Army in February 2024, he maintained the defense of Avdiivka until he was forced to order a withdrawal to "protect lives," after which Ukrainian forces carried out an incursion into the Russian region of Kursk, "moving combat operations to enemy territory."
"I want it to be clear: our objective was never the occupation of foreign territory. Our objective was to thwart the offensive that the enemy had planned against Sumi and Kharkiv, withdraw their most combat-ready troops, and replenish the funds for the exchange in order to free our people from captivity. All of this was achieved," he emphasized.
"I have no right to speak about some of the operations we have carried out over the years. History will speak of them, but I will only say that the enemy remembers them," Sirski stated, who took the opportunity to thank "everyone" in the military for their service and paid tribute to those who have died in combat.
In the final part of his message, he stressed that "their job is war." "Positions change, but this principle does not. Whatever my place, I will serve Ukraine until victory. For a long time, they tried to make us believe that Ukrainians were not capable of fighting. We proved that this is not the case. Ukraine is defended by a heroic people. Our country will stand if everyone fulfills their duty with the same dedication as the Ukrainian Army," he concluded.
Zelensky, who on Tuesday announced the replacement of Sirski following the controversial dismissal of Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov, has appointed Mikhailo Drapati as the new commander-in-chief, while expressing his gratitude to the outgoing military for his role in the defense of Kyiv, for leading the offensive in Kharkiv, and for the incursion in Kursk.
The dismissal of Fedorov as Defense Minister has sparked massive protests in various Ukrainian cities, forcing Zelensky to respond to the criticisms and justify that the decision was due to a lack of coordination and communication between the minister and Sirski, an aspect that the now former army chief has avoided commenting on in his message to the public.