{"id":130174,"date":"2025-03-16T17:18:34","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-latest-head-of-ukrainian-army-replaced-as-battles-rage-on-in-russias-kursk-region-sky-news\/"},"modified":"2025-03-16T17:18:34","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:18:34","slug":"ukraine-war-latest-head-of-ukrainian-army-replaced-as-battles-rage-on-in-russias-kursk-region-sky-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-latest-head-of-ukrainian-army-replaced-as-battles-rage-on-in-russias-kursk-region-sky-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine war latest: Head of Ukrainian army replaced – as battles rage on in Russia's Kursk region – Sky News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has replaced the head of the Ukrainian army, according to the country’s defence minister. Andrii Hnatov replaces Anatoliy Bargylevych, who only took the role in February last year. Meanwhile, battles rage on in the Kursk region.
false,Sunday 16 March 2025 16:45, UK
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Late last night, the US’ secretary of state and Russia’s foriegn minister held a phone call. 
Marco Rubio “discussed next steps”  with Sergey Lavrov, the US state department said. 
The pair followed up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and “agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has replaced the head of the Ukrainian army, according to the country’s defence minister. 
Andrii Hnatov will now serve as the new chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces, replacing Anatoliy Bargylevych, who only took the role in February last year. 
“We are systematically transforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine to enhance their combat effectiveness,” defence minister Rustem Umerov said, announcing the change.
“This involves restructuring the command system and implementing clear standards.”
He insisted that Bargylevych was still “part of the team”, adding that he has now been tasked with “reforming the main inspectorate”. 
“His mission is to ensure compliance with military standards and strengthen discipline within the armed forces.”
Zelenskyy has regularly reshuffled military and government personnel to maximise efficiency throughout the war. 
Ukraine’s general staff reports there are two ongoing battles in the Russian region of Kursk at present. 
As many as eight combat engagements have occurred today, the military said. 
“In addition, the enemy launched nine air strikes, dropping 16 guided aerial bombs, and fired 104 times at Ukrainian troops’ positions and localities,” it said in its afternoon update.
“The situation in other sectors remained unchanged.”
While Russia claims rapid advances, Ukrainian personnel insist that any retreats have been tactical and that Kyiv’s forces have regrouped at more defendable positions. 
Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger, claims Russia has pushed back Ukrainian forces to the border in some areas.
Russian reports also indicate that they have been slowed because they’ve had to clear large numbers of mines. 
The chances of Vladimir Putin entering peace negotiations are “abysmal”, according to the Finnish president. 
Alexander Stubb said Putin “doesn’t want a ceasefire” and “doesn’t want peace”. 
“His original aim was basically to destroy the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Basically to have Ukraine ceasing to exist,” he told the BBC.
“He hasn’t changed his aim and this is what all of us around the table have to understand.”
When asked about the Russian president’s willingness to enter peace talks, he said: “I think the chances are abysmal.”
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says the US leader will have a telephone call with Vladimir Putin this week.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Witkoff said Trump is “is involved in every aspect and dimension of discussions”.
Witkoff, who had a meeting with Putin on Thursday, said the talk was “positive”.
He said the US is “in discussions” with both European countries and Russia about the four regions of Ukraine that Russia claims. 
“I expect that there’ll be a call with both presidents this week,” Witkoff added.  
Plans for a peacekeeping force of more than 10,000 troops were made at yesterday’s “coalition of the willing” virtual meeting, it is being reported.
Citing senior government sources, the Sunday Times says that “considerably more” than the three countries who initially offered to supply troops have backed Sir Keir Starmer’s plan.
The majority of the troop force is still expected to come from Britain and France, however.
The newspaper quoted a military source as saying that the size of the force would be “comfortably north of 10,000”.
A bit more from retired senior diplomat Lord Peter Ricketts. who spoke to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips earlier.
Lord Ricketts warned that fighting in Ukraine could continue for another year, as peace negotiations drag on.
When asked what the best possible endgame was for the war in Ukraine, he said it would end with Kyiv’s independence and the freedom to join NATO if it wanted.
However, “realistically”, he said Ukraine would likely not reclaim all of its territory.
He added: “I have to say, there’s quite a high likelihood that a ceasefire, even it can be achieved, won’t last, and that for the next year or so, we may well see the fighting continuing.
“Unless Trump is really prepared to double down on Putin and show him that there’s no way that he can continue this grinding war, that he’s prepared to arm Ukraine and support Ukraine in the end, then the factors that we were talking about, the weakness of the Russian economy will come into play.
“But I don’t see them pressuring Putin into a settlement soon.
“And unless Trump is prepared to do it, I fear this could drag on for some time yet. I hope not, but that’s what I fear.” 
By Sam Coates<\/a>, deputy political editor<\/b>
There was one clear, united message from yesterday’s virtual meeting of leaders – that they rejected Vladimir Putin’s “yes, but” approach to a ceasefire.
The “coalition of the willing” – the 27 leaders, plus NATO and the EU led by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron – want the Russian president to mirror Ukraine’s pledge for a 30-day pause in fighting, in order to hammer out a sustainable peace deal.
Sir Keir made that very clear, and suggested the attendees at the meeting were behind this approach.
There were, however, bigger unknowns left hanging… 
It is for Kyiv, not Moscow, to decide whether peacekeeping troops should be deployed to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron says.
“Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for allied forces to be on its territory, it’s not something for Russia to accept or not,” he told French media.
Macron and Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer are seen as the leaders of the “coalition of the willing” idea, which would see peacekeeping forces sent to Ukraine to defend any peace deal.
Macron said any peacekeeping force would consist of “a few thousand troops per country” to be deployed at key locations, adding that a number of European and non-European countries were interested in participating. 
Lord Peter Ricketts, a retired senior diplomat, warned that Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine would be a “considerable risk”.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips, the former national security adviser stressed the prime minister had done an “excellent job” pulling Europe together.
However, “now you’ve got to ask the tough questions”, he said. “What would a European force actually do in Ukraine?”
He said any effective deterrence force had to be willing to fight Russians in Ukraine, and a “cast iron American guarantee” would be the best route to avoid any potential fighting.
“I don’t think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, while I admire the work going into it\u2026 I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee.”
Lord Ricketts also warned that, given Russia’s opposition to a NATO force in Ukraine, any similar presence would be opposed one way or another – whether that’s through direct force or the “dark arts” like denial operations and sabotage.
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