KYIV, Ukraine, Feb 9, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The Ukrainian army needs to change

its "methods" to win the war against Russia, Kyiv's new commander-in-chief
Oleksandr Syrsky said Friday in his first comments in the role.

The 58-year-old replaced commander Valery Zaluzhny this week in the biggest
shake-up of Ukraine's military leadership since Russia's invasion began
nearly two years ago.

The veteran general faces a myriad of problems in his in-tray, not least of
which a 1,000-kilometre (600 mile) deadlocked frontline that has barely moved
in over a year of fighting.

"Only changes and continuous improvement in the means and methods of warfare
will allow us to succeed on this path," Syrsky said in a social media post.

The army needs "clear and detailed planning", he said, "taking into account
the needs of the frontline for the latest weapons supplied by international
partners".

Ukraine's allies, particularly Washington and Brussels, are struggling to
keep up aid packages that have so far allowed Kyiv to hold out against
Russia.

Syrsky is taking over the military at a time of uncertainty over what
resources will be available and as Russia puts its economy on a war footing,
ramping up production and recruitment.

Despite successes on the battlefield, Syrsky is not a national icon like
Zaluzhny, and he has a reputation for being indifferent to military
casualties.

He appeared to address this characterisation in his statement, saying: "The
lives and well-being of our servicemen have always been and remain the main
asset of the Ukrainian army".

The Kremlin earlier on Friday downplayed the impact Ukraine's military shake-
up would have on the battlefield.

"We don't think it's a factor that will change the course of the special
military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, using Moscow's
preferred term for its invasion.

- Drone strikes -

Within hours of Syrsky's appointment, Russia and Ukraine launched a barrage
of drones at each other in an attempt to strike targets deep behind the
static frontline.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for attacks on two separate Russian oil
refineries overnight, sparking at least one large fire, a source in Kyiv's
security services told AFP.

The strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities over the past two months are
part of what Kyiv has called "fair" retaliation on infrastructure used to
fuel Russia's war.

The drones hit two refineries in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, "not
only the Ilsky refinery, but also the Afipsky refinery", the source said.

"These refineries are legitimate targets. Not only do they work for defence
and provide fuel for Russian troops, but they are also important for the
Russian economy," the source added.

Videos shared on social media showed flames at the refinery in Ilsky, a small
town about 50 kilometres (30 miles) inland from the Black Sea coast.

Damage at the refinery in the nearby town of Afipsky was not immediately
clear, the Ukrainian source said.

Russia's military, meanwhile, said it shot down 19 Ukrainian drones over four
different regions and the Black Sea, while Ukraine said it shot down 10 of 16
drones Russia fired.