Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday dismissed a senior army officer commanding forces fighting the Russians in the eastern part of the country, where hostilities are raging, without explaining why.

In a one-line decree, Mr. Zelensky announced the removal of Eduard Moskalyov from the post of commander of Ukraine’s joint forces involved in the fighting in Donbas.

Mr. Zelensky had referred to Eduard Moskalyov as recently as Friday, listing the commanders with whom he discussed. Mr Moskalyov was appointed to the post in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded.

The joint forces made no mention of the removal on their social media accounts.

The Russian army is concentrating its efforts on occupying the two regions that make up Donbas. President Zelensky describes the situation there as difficult and painful in recent weeks. The center of the fighting is the city of Bahamut.