Everything is still ahead," the Guardian quoted Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, as saying in an interview with the British newspaper.

Source: https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/Ukraine-signals-main-push-in-counteroffensive-is-yet-to-come--44178508/?utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=20230623

Moreover, promoting Syrskyi might not prevent the emergence of Zaluzhny as a new influential figure in Ukrainian politics following his resignation.

Source: https://worldcrunch.com/focus/zaluzhny-vs-zelensky

Moscow is sending in special forces and airborne assault units to help their attack as members of Russia’s private mercenary Wagner group are now exhausted, Colonel General Syrskyi said.

Source: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/04/10/russia-scorched-earth-tactics-bakhmut-kyiv/

Oleksandr Syrskyi, a spokesman for the military's eastern command, said Ukrainian forces control the outskirts of the city, and "defense forces continue offensive actions on the flanks near Bakhmut."

Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/bakhmut-is-only-in-our-hearts-zelenskyy-says-destroyed-ukrainian-city-not-occupied-by-russian-forces-1.6407861

Realising this, the enemy units put up desperate resistance," Syrskyi said on the Telegram messaging app.

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/ukraine-says-russia-taking-heavy-losses-in-south-resisting-near-bakhmut/article_eb8d6b53-bcfa-5e41-839f-6deee25892bf.html

Syrskyi has hero status in Ukraine since the war.

Source: https://houstonianonline.com/zelinsky-expels-the-supreme-military-commander-the-ukrainian-army-chief-visits-pashmut/

Syrskyi was one of the top commanders behind Ukraine’s strategy last year that repelled Russia’s assault on Kyiv and rolled back Moscow’s forces through the second half of 2022.

Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/9572684/russias-bakhmut-assault-ukraine/

“The aggressor does not give up hope of taking Bakhmut at any cost, despite the losses in manpower and equipment,” Syrskyi said.

Source: https://www.mycentraloregon.com/2023/03/27/russia-ukraine-live-updates-two-dead-29-hurt-in-russian-missile-strike-on-sloviansk/