Why Some Brigades are Unsuccessful is Completely Clear

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s new armed forces commander, attributes the country’s inability to defend Avdijivka to the errors of the commanders. Syrskyi, who replaced Valeri Zalužnyin in early February, is implementing changes to the leadership of the front line brigades in eastern Ukraine.

As reported by The Kyiv Independent, Syrskyi claims that the activities of some brigade commanders have endangered the lives of soldiers. He has had to make personnel decisions in instances where commanders have lost control of situations and their actions have directly threatened the lives and health of their subordinates.

Ukraine has recently lost control of Avdijivka and is facing a chronic shortage of ammunition and soldiers. Added to this, aid packages from the U.S. have been delayed, belief in Ukraine’s victory in Europe has been shaken, and Russia has started to attack more aggressively.

According to Syrskyi, the mistakes of front-line commanders exacerbated the problems Ukraine faced in defending Avdijivka. Ukraine withdrew from Avdijivka on February 17, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi citing the preservation of soldiers’ lives as a key reason for the withdrawal.

Syrskyi has sent experts to brigades where particular problems were identified, to offer advice and assistance. Decisions concerning reservists, ammunition stores, and other equipment were made based on the reports he received from the commanders.

Although Syrskyi did not name the brigades with the most problems, he mentioned the 54th mechanized brigade as an example of success. He also commended the units that participated in the battles of Orlivka, Berdych, and Novomyhailivka in the Donetsk region.

Furthermore, Syrskyi announced that a brigade that had been on the front lines for two years, believed to be The 110th Mechanized Brigade which defended Avdijivka, has been moved away from the front line to improve its combat readiness.

President Zelenskyi warned last week of another major attack by Russia in the spring or summer. A source close to Ukraine’s leadership told Bloomberg that Russia will soon decide whether to continue the current slow positional war or launch a larger attack.

“The coming months will be difficult for us,” Zelenskyi admitted, alluding to the uncertain situation and the impact of the U.S.’s fluctuating support for Ukraine. However, Zelenskyi believes that the EU has demonstrated its capacity to lead in supporting Ukraine.