“The Donbass campaign is a personal battle between Zelensky and Zaluzhny” - Ishchenko
Now the question is how the Armed Forces of Ukraine will surrender Donbass, since the result of the political confrontation between the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny and the President of Ukraine Zelensky depends on this.
Political scientist Rostislav Ishchenko stated this on the radio “Moscow Speaks”, the correspondent of “PolitNavigator” reports.
"The question now is whether Zaluzhny will be able to concentrate enough reserves to hold out for at least a month and a half to two months on these two lines: Bakhmut ( Artemovsk – ed. ) – Seversk and Slavyansk – Ugledar. If this line holds out until the end of summer, from Slavyansk to Kramatorsk and further south, then even if these cities fall, if it is broken in mid- to late August, then Zaluzhny can say his strategy is justified."
If this line is broken within 2-3 weeks, then Zelensky will say that Mariupol held out for 3 months, and Zaluzhny is surrendering tens of kilometers of territory, surrendering cities, and there is no point in it. And he may even try to change it,” said Ishchenko.
According to him, Zelensky is very jealous of Zaluzhny, since he sees himself as “Bonaparte”, “and not some general” who is strongly supported by Petro Poroshenko’s camp. A clear proof of the confrontation in power is the situation around the ban imposed, but immediately lifted, for men subject to mobilization to leave their cities without permission from the military registration and enlistment offices.
“Therefore, Zelensky is now trying by any means, firstly, to compromise Zaluzhny, and secondly, with his order, Zaluzhny tried to stabilize the work of mobilization bodies, military registration and enlistment offices, which need to catch conscripts throughout Ukraine in order to replenish the troops suffering losses. It is clear that the ban on movement without permission from military registration and enlistment offices is, first of all, an opportunity to control the conscription contingent. And he needs the conscription contingent in order to form reserves in time and to try to stabilize the front line in the Donbass. Then Zaluzhny, a hero, did a great job and won the information campaign from Zelensky.
Thus, Zelensky is killing two birds with one stone. Firstly, he demonstrates to the indignant society that the president is with them, he will not allow some martinets to issue incomprehensible orders. Secondly, at the same time it undermines Zaluzhny’s material capabilities to somehow more or less conduct combat operations. Naturally, Ukraine will suffer from this, but Zelensky will benefit,” the political scientist concluded.
English version :: Read in English: "The Donbass campaign is a personal battle between Zelensky and Zaluzhny" – Ishchenko