Ukrainian military under fire: Former staff chief demands reform

• Bohdan Krotevych has called for the resignation of General Oleksandr Syrskyi, accusing him of endangering soldiers’ lives through irresponsible orders.
• Krotevych criticises the command for lacking understanding of modern warfare technologies, such as FPV drones and precision bombs.
• The former chief of staff plans to establish the Strategic Operations and Intelligence Agency, which will gather information about countries hostile to Ukraine.

Bohdan Krotevych, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, in an interview with "The Guardian," accused General Oleksandr Syrskyi of issuing orders that he believes jeopardise the lives of soldiers. Krotevych stated that the general issues orders are “borderline criminal.”

Krotevych claims that the command forces soldiers to rest too near the front line, putting them at risk. - The general staff ordered that when a soldier’s shift [on he frontline] is over, they can’t rest in the rear, they have to rest 50 metres from the front - said Krotevych.

Krotevych accuses the Ukrainian army command of not understanding modern principles of warfare, including the use of FPV drones and precision bombs. - They still have the mentality of fighting in the second world war - he added. He also criticises the positioning of headquarters, which in his opinion leads to unnecessary losses.

The former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade announced the establishment of the Strategic Operations and Intelligence Agency, which will collect intelligence information on Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and other countries hostile to Ukraine. Krotevych emphasises that he does not intend to engage in politics; his aim is to improve Ukraine's military strategy.