German generals visited Kyiv secretly on Zaluzhnyi's resignation day - Bild
Valerii Zaluzhnyi (Getty Images)
On Thursday, February 8, high-ranking German generals were spotted in a hotel in Kyiv, Bild reports.
According to the media, the German Ministry of Defense commented that the following high-ranking officials were in Ukraine:
- Major General Christian Freuding, who heads the working group coordinating aid to Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defense,
- Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer, who is one of the key military leaders of Germany and a trusted aide to the German Minister of Defense.
They arrived in Kyiv secretly at the invitation of former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Valerii Zaluzhnyi. However, on the day of their arrival, the latter was dismissed.
The German Ministry of Defense stated that the purpose of the visit was "further exchange of information on current defense needs and future military challenges." According to the media, the visit may accelerate negotiations on military cooperation between the countries.
Zaluzhnyi's dismissal
On February 8, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the decision to dismiss Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Instead, Oleksandr Syrskyi was appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Rumors about Zaluzhnyi's dismissal emerged at the end of January 2024, although there had been speculation about his possible dismissal before that.
