“Putin is afraid of him.” The Times writes about the growing political influence of Biletsky

The commander of the Third Army Corps Andriy Biletsky sees his future in the army / Photo The TimesThe commander of the Third Army Corps Andriy Biletsky sees his future in the army, but the reputation of an effective commander makes him an increasingly influential political figure in wartime. This is stated in the material of the British The Times, whose journalists visited the corps in Kharkiv region.

The Times writes that by raising Biletsky to the commander of the Corps, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expanded the “influence of a potential competitor”. In an interview, the Corps Commander was not afraid to criticize a recent attempt to get control of anti -corruption authorities. He called this step “unjustified and inappropriate during the war.”

Biletsky shared with his journalists his vision of the future of Ukraine: a militarized society, a defense-industrial complex as a driver of the economy, numerous armed forces and the preservation of the democratic system. “Maximum centralization actually kills everything. I feel that I do my job well, so I think I have the right to speak honestly and call things by my name,” the Corps Commander said.

In an interview, he stated that any political activity seems distant, he sees his personal future in the army and is now focused on the well-being of his soldiers.

The Times calls the Biletsky face of contemporary Ukrainian nationalism. Because of this, he is “hated and scary at the same time” for the Russian dictator Putin.

In 2014, Biletsky founded and headed the Azov battalion, which quickly became the target of Russian propaganda due to efficiency on the battlefield. In 2022 – he founded and headed the third assault team, which The Times called “one of the most fierce combat units of the country.” He now heads the Third Army Corps, which is fighting 20,000 servicemen, and which holds more than 10% of the front line.