ALBAWABA- Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the head of the Russian Ground Forces, General Oleg Salyukov, just hours before the start of renewed peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkish and Russian media reported Thursday.
A presidential decree issued Thursday evening confirmed Salyukov’s removal. No official reason was provided, and the Kremlin has not yet named a successor.
The timing of the move, however, has raised questions, as it comes amid sensitive diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
General Salyukov had led the Russian Ground Forces since 2014 and was considered a central figure in Russia’s military operations in eastern Ukraine and Syria. His dismissal signals a potential shift in Russia’s military leadership strategy ahead of the expected peace negotiations.
The dismissal coincides with preparations for peace talks in Turkey, which are being closely watched by international observers. On Wednesday night, President Putin held a closed-door meeting with senior officials to finalize Russia’s approach to the negotiations.
The Kremlin confirmed that a high-level delegation, including a presidential adviser, deputy ministers from the foreign and defense ministries, and intelligence officials, has been dispatched to Istanbul.
On his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced earlier: "We hosted the President of Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky, and his delegation at our presidential complex and discussed efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war through a just peace."
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the negotiations, stated: “We must take the first step, otherwise, the war will continue for many years.”
Head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, described the talks as a "continuation of the peace process that Ukraine suspended in 2022."
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of top-level diplomacy, calling a potential meeting between President Trump and President Putin "essential" for advancing any meaningful resolution to the war.
