On 8 February President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacked armed forces commander Valerii Zaluzhnyy. Although Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyy have had disputes on battlefield tactics, the sacking is essentially a destructive political move by Zelenskyy to remove a potential political rival. Zaluzhnyy’s removal will have an impact on the morale of Ukrainian troops. Zaluzhnyy is very popular amongst the army’s rank and file.