Ukraine’s president says dismissed military commander Zaluzhnyi will be new ambassador to the UK

KYIV (AP) — Ukraine’s former military chief has been appointed the country’s new ambassador to the United Kingdom. It comes a month after he was sacked as head of the armed forces by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy announced that he has approved the appointment of Valerii Zaluzhnyi to one of Ukraine’s most important diplomatic positions. Zelenskyy last month replaced Zaluzhnyi as military commander-in-chief in a shake-up aimed at reigniting momentum in the deadlocked war. Reported tensions between Zaluzhnyi and the president grew after Ukraine’s much-touted 2023 counteroffensive failed to make major territorial gains. The position of ambassador to Britain has been vacant since the previous envoy, Vadym Prystaiko, was removed by Zelenskyy in July.