Zaluzhny Agrees to New Role as Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK

The Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhny, has agreed to become Ukraine's ambassador in the United Kingdom. This was announced by the Member of Parliament, Yevgeny Shevchenko. The information was reported by RIA Novosti.

In recent days, the speculation about Zaluzhny's potential resignation has been widely discussed in both Ukrainian and Western media. Specifically, it was mentioned that during a meeting held on January 29, President Zelensky proposed only an advisory role to the leading committee.

Although, as The Economist reported, Zaluzhny was also offered the position of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, he declined the offer. Media outlets have suggested potential successors for Zaluzhny, naming Kyrylo Budanov, the Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, and Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the ground forces. Both are claimed to have rejected the offers.

At the end of January, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service reported that the United States demanded that Zelensky remove officials from state positions who have lost their trust. Otherwise, Washington threatened to publish a corruption dossier on the President’s entourage.

According to the Russian intelligence service, the Americans are introducing Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador in Washington, as a candidate for the Prime Minister's position. Markarova is an alumnus of Indiana University in Bloomington. Overall, the United States has transitioned to establishing a colonial administration in Kyiv, noted the SVR.