The long-lasting bureaucratic war between Ukraine’s top military officials — Commander-in-Chief Ruslan Khomchak and Defense Minister Andriy Taran — has finally ended.
On July 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky suddenly sacked Khomchak, explaining it with the “lack of synergy” between the top defense officials.
Indeed, Khomchak and Taran detested each other. They waged endless battles challenging each other’s orders and authorities and avoided contact.
In the country suffering from Russia’s invasion, two Soviet-style generals — one serving, the other retired — were chest-beating and bumping their heads together. Ukraine’s defense and military suffered.
Zelensky also sacked a range of other key figures close to Khomchak: Chief of General Staff Serhiy Korniychuk, the Donbas combat force leader Volodymyr Kravchenko, as well as the Airborne Forces branch leader Yevhen Moisiuk.
The post of Ukraine’s top military leader was given to Major General Valeriy Zaluzhniy, previously in charge of the country’s military district North.
The defense community welcomed this appointment. Zaluzhniy has a reputation as one of the most competent battlefield leaders and is very popular among troops.
But it’s not enough. This shameful war of two towers was never just about two people. It was caused by deep systemic flaws that the Zelensky administration needs to remove.
Duties and authorities are still loosely divided between the Armed Forces command and the Defense Ministry. They often contradict and duplicate each other — which leads to mayhem, conflicts and mismanagement.
The defense and security community keeps ringing alarm, but the country’s leadership ignores the problem. This needs to change.
But apart from that, Taran also needs to leave. Over more than a year in the office, he has proven his lack of leadership and the sense of teamwork.
As a retired military bureaucrat, the old system’s own flesh and blood, minister Taran can’t bring change to the army.
His efficacy can be illustrated by the fact that seven months into the year, the annual military production plan for 2021 has not even been launched yet. Although he is not the only one to blame.
Taran says Ukraine’s defense sector under his leadership is moving towards NATO bit by bit. But meanwhile, it is a common opinion now that the old Sovietesque spirit is suffocating the Defense Ministry’s drive towards any true reforms.
What we need is a modern, truly civilian defense minister separated from the old military establishment. We need a skillful manager who takes charge as a representative of the country’s civilian leadership setting goals and tasks for the military.
We need a defense minister our Western-style military reform originally envisaged — not just another Soviet general.
