Russians are trying to impose the image of a "Soviet and Russian" person on Syrsky - Center for Countering Disinformation

The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council said that Russian propaganda has launched a large-scale campaign to discredit the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The propagandists are trying to create an image of a "Soviet and Russian person" and are promoting the topic of his relatives in Russia.

The ultimate goal of the enemy, said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the National Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation, is to reduce the trust of Ukrainian society in the Armed Forces. Details are provided by the Center's Telegram channel.

According to Kovalenko, the aggressor state is trying to create the image of a "Soviet and Russian person" for Syrsky, in particular, by looking for his relatives and "family friends" in Russia. Propagandists take comments from them, which they then disseminate with the context they need.

"The main goal of this campaign is to discredit the commander-in-chief and reduce confidence in the Armed Forces," Kovalenko said.

The head of the Center added that Ukrainians who are currently being targeted by the Russian propaganda machine should remember that Syrskyi was a member of the team of his predecessor as the chief of the Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, for a long time.

"He commanded successful operations, including the liberation of Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. They would not have been possible without high-quality personnel, but a lot depends on the command. So Syrsky has shown that he knows how to achieve results in the war against Russia," Kovalenko added.

He also noted that "Syrsky's team consists of young commanders who have been promoted."

"This is a prerequisite for systemic improvements in the Armed Forces," Kovalenko said.

He also warned Ukrainians against spreading narratives replicated by Russian propaganda.

"Supporting the campaign that the Chief of Staff is a "Russian man" is playing along with enemy disinformation. Trust in the Armed Forces must remain at the highest level," summarized the head of the NSDC's Central Intelligence Center.

On February 8 this year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Zaluzhnyi from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and appointed Commander of the Land Forces Syrskyy to replace him. In his evening address to Ukrainians, in which the head of state announced the decisions, he also announced large-scale changes in the defense sector.

The promised changes were not long in coming. Already on February 9, Zelensky appointed a new head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala was succeeded by Major General Anatoliy Bargylevych, who commanded the Territorial Defense Forces.

And on February 10, the president named new deputies to Chief Commander Syrsky: each of them - all of whom are combat officers - was assigned specific tasks and responsibilities.

On February 11, it became known that former First Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavliuk would lead the Land Forces and that Yuriy Sodol, Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, would replace Serhiy Nayev as Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Nayev himself, according to his statement in which he thanked Ukrainians and everyone with whom he had worked for a long time, learned of his dismissal from the media.

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