Zelensky Makes Surprise Move on the Military Front

For almost the entire duration of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Eduard Moskalyov has stood at the helm of the Ukrainian military's Joint Forces Operation, which is embedded in fighting in the Donbas region. No longer, as per a curt decree Sunday from President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, reports the Hill. No reason was offered for the dismissal of Moskalyov, who'd led the JFO since March, and there was no word of it on the JFO's social media, per Reuters.

Zelensky had just mentioned Moskalyov on Friday, the one-year anniversary of the war, during his daily address when speaking of the military commanders he'd been in contact with. The removal of Moskalyov comes amid a widening corruption scandal in Ukraine that's led to multiple officials being fired, though it's not clear if corruption allegations underlie Moskalyov's dismissal. The JFO, established in 2014, has been fighting furiously in the Donbas, which includes the ravaged Bakhmut, a city especially coveted by Russia. (More Volodymyr Zelensky stories.)