I was firmly convinced that it would be very dangerous for Ukraine if General Zaluzhny was replaced. At the same time, I was always worried, to put it a little more extreme, but more clearly, about the cult of personality of this general.
Why?
Because the cult of any personality distorts the optics with which his words and deeds are perceived and evaluated.
General Zaluzhny is a really big military leader. His role in 2022 was fantastically significant. He and President Zelensky then saved Ukraine, literally tore it from the iron claws of the Beast.
Unfortunately, in 2023 it turned out that there was a limit to his abilities.
And who haven't, though?
General Zaluzhny had a "chance" to command the Ukrainian troops at a more favorable time:
When the military initiative and the psychological advantage were on the side of Ukraine.
When many a rashist's teeth were broken and all their unrealistic blitz-win plans were dashed.
When the US generously supported Ukraine.
When there were plenty of rockets and shells.
But General Zaluzhny could not effectively organize the spring-summer offensive. He began to write and speak as a politician (which cannot and should not be done in a democracy). He lost his otherwise strong sense of self-criticism. He showed a deficit in military strategic thinking. He constantly created over-optimistic notions of the nearness of victory. His PR men constantly exaggerate by 50% (minimum) the casualties and losses of the rashist hordes. The 400,000 number of dead is insanely unrealistic, it's at least 150,000 over the real thing. The same goes for most of the destroyed rashist equipment.
Numbers work well for all of us, but with one But – they are not quite close to the Truth.

I considered the replacement of General Zaluzhny to be a huge mistake, but now it can be seen that, in fact, with this replacement, his authority was saved to a great extent. Because it was clear to everyone that defeat in Avdeevka was inevitable. And it was he who should have withdrawn the troops from there, if he had not been withdrawn by President Zelensky.
Obviously, the change of the general was absolutely inevitable in order the president to decide in such a way that damages his personal, the president's, authority in the Ukrainian society. It is a huge responsibility and a colossal risk to release from his post a general whom the whole of Ukraine idolizes. When there is an all-Ukrainian cult of the personality of the general. And it's not only in Ukraine...

Now General Sirski has to pull the chestnuts out of the fire, withdraw the army from Avdeevka, command the troops in the conditions of total shortage of weapons, equipment, ammunition and people, in the conditions of passive, echeloned, general front and sometimes deaf defense.
A monstrously difficult task, and it only shows what kind of person General Sirski is to undertake it.
Yes, a nightmarishly difficult month begins for Ukraine and a crushingly worrying experience for all of us whose hearts ache for Ukraine.
Trump in particular, and the de facto US in general, stuck a brutal knife of Brutus in the back of Ukraine.
The US is currently not at the level of its strategic leadership, it is a world power that seems to be dramatically retreating from its global role.
Yes, Trump is a monster. He is the cause of much trouble in US behavior. But in addition to being a cause of US behavior, Trump is also a consequence of US behavior. The US is ready to go down a path that, if Trump was not there, he would have appeared under a foreign appearance and a different name.
Unfortunately, Europe is not what it should be either, and at least I don't know if it ever can be.
Just one example – there are almost no European missiles and shells in the arsenal of Ukraine, and there are countless North Korean shells and missiles in the arsenal of the rashists. One North Korea does more for rashism than the whole EU does for Ukraine! Shame and disgrace. More than that – a crime and a pathetic lack of leaders and leadership...

Over the next 40-60 days, many questions will be answered and to many problems the only possible solution will or will not be found.
I hope it does not come to the most extreme option, when the Ukrainian front will collapse and begin a total, disorganized retreat along its entire length.
I hope for a miracle in the US and that help arrives before it's fatally late.
I hope that Europe will realize, not in words, but in reality, with actions, that it is about to untie the hands of the bunker tyrant and he will begin to destroy it – first as an idea, then as a democracy, then as a union and finally – as an existence.
I hope that there is still blood left in the veins of Ukraine, because the gushing blood of Ukraine alone cannot wash the shame from the face of Europe, the USA, the West, the Democratic world.
Dramatic days are coming for us all.
They are advancing for Europe.
They are advancing for the USA.
They are advancing for the West.
They are advancing for the Democratic World.
I am afraid that they have already come for Bulgaria.

As a friend of mine says about himself – No, it's not true that I'm the pessimist, I'm not a pessimist at all! I'm just afraid of the Future and for the Future…

02/28/2024