Valerii Zaluzhnyi: Ukraine to appoint ex-army chief as UK ambassador

Valerii Zaluzhnyi was sacked last month as Ukraine's commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces

The former head of Ukraine's armed forces is to be appointed as the country's ambassador to the UK.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi was sacked by President Volodymyr Zelensky last month in what was the biggest shake-up to Ukraine's military leadership since Russia's full-scale invasion.

The Ukrainian general had led the war effort since 2022.

He had been seen as a potential political rival to Mr Zelensky and was popular among soldiers.

Ukraine has not had an ambassador to the UK since Mr Zelensky dismissed former envoy Vadym Prystaiko in July 2023 after he publicly criticised the president.

The foreign ministry said a request had been sent to the UK to finalise Gen Zaluzhnyi's move.

In announcing his appointment, Mr Zelensky claimed Gen Zaluzhnyi had told him diplomacy "is the direction he'd like to take".

Replacing him in the post last month was battle-hardened Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, who Mr Zelensky described at the time of his appointment as having both offensive and defensive experience.

The decision to remove Gen Zaluzhnyi arrived at a time when the professional soldier was experiencing higher approval ratings than Mr Zelensky himself, spurring speculation that a rift had evolved between the two men.

It is unclear whether this new appointment is a reward for Mr Zaluzhnyi's previous service, or some political gaming. It is worth remembering that the former army chief has no diplomatic experience.

Lack of experience, however, didn't exactly hold Mr Zelensky back when he was elected president in 2019 after spending the lion's share of his career as a comedian.

In Ukraine, politics can be less about the parties and their manifestos, and more about the leader and their charisma.

There are still some formal approvals to be done, but the BBC understands Gen Zaluzhnyi has accepted his new role as UK ambassador. This means he will likely be based in the capital of a warm ally of Ukraine's, while representing its leader's agenda.

It crucially also means he will not be diverting support away from the president back home, as his boss is trying to balance mobilising thousands of men while also protecting the Ukrainian economy. That requires a united front.

The Ukrainian leader had said at the time of Gen Zaluzhnyi's sacking that leadership within the military ranks needed to be "renewed", but added that the well-liked general could "remain on the team".

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Meanwhile, the UK announced on Thursday that it will supply Ukraine with more than 10,000 drones in a deal worth £125m ($160m).

That is on top of £200m pledged earlier this year for drones as part of a larger military aid package.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who made the announcement while on a visit to Kyiv, also urged the UK's allies to increase their own supplies of weapons.

Ukraine has recently faced a variety of setbacks in its bid to drive Russia from its territory more than two years into the conflict.

Last month, Ukraine's defence minister said a delay in the delivery of half the promised Western aid had cost lives and territory.