Valerii Zaluzhnyi Explained

Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Birth Date:8 July 1973
Birth Place:Novohrad-Volynskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Zviahel, Ukraine)
Nickname:"Iron General"[1] [2]
Allegiance:Ukraine
Serviceyears:1993–2024
Commands:1) Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
2) Operational Command North
3) Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
4) Operational Command West
5) 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade
6) 24th Guards Mechanized Brigade
Battles:
Office:Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom
Termstart:10 July 2024
Predecessor:Vadym Prystaiko
Primeminister:Denys Shmyhal
President:Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Office1:Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Termstart1:27 July 2021
Termend1:8 February 2024
Predecessor1:Ruslan Khomchak
Successor1:Oleksandr Syrskyi
Primeminister1:Denys Shmyhal
President1:Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Alma Mater:1) Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine
2) Odesa Military Academy
3) National University Ostroh Academy
Native Name Lang:uk
Mawards:

Valerii Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi (Ukrainian: Вале́рій Фе́дорович Залу́жний; born 8 July 1973) is a Ukrainian four-star general and diplomat who is currently serving as Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 27 July 2021 until 8 February 2024.[3] [4] He was also concurrently a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Zaluzhnyi was previously the Commander of the North Operational Command (2019–2021), Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — First Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces (2018), Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the West Operational Command (2017), and Commander of the 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (2009–2012).

Zaluzhnyi was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.[5] He has received praise for his skill at "adapting to a fast-changing battlefield" through effective delegation and information gathering during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[6] He was dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief on 8 February 2024 amid increasing tension between him and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[7]

Zaluzhnyi was appointed the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom in March 2024.[8] [9]

Early life and education

Zaluzhnyi was born on 8 July 1973 in Novohrad-Volynskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Zviahel, Ukraine). In 1989, Zaluzhnyi graduated from the city school No. 9 and entered the Zviahel Machine-Building Technical School, from which he graduated in 1991 with honors. He later entered the general military faculty of the Odesa Institute of Land Forces. In 1997, he graduated with honors from the institute, after which he passed all stages of military service: platoon commander, training platoon commander, combat platoon commander, training company commander, cadet company commander, and battalion commander.[10] [11]

Military career

In 2005, he entered the National Academy of Defense of Ukraine. In 2007, he graduated with a gold medal and was appointed Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the 24th Mechanized Brigade in Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast. He successfully served in this position for two and a half years.[12] In October 2009, he was appointed commander of the 51st Mechanized Brigade, which he led until 2012.[13]

In 2014, Zaluzhnyi graduated from the Ivan Cherniakhovskyi National Defense University of Ukraine.[14] In 2017, he was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the Operational Command West. The next year, in 2018, Zaluzhnyi was appointed Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – First Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces.[15]

According to an interview with The Washington Post, in 2019, Zaluzhnyi was detained at the airport in Brussels, where he had arrived to participate in the NATO summit. The reason was that he was put on the international wanted list at the request of the Russian Federation. During his detention by Interpol, he managed to call Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, who subsequently resolved the situation.[16] [17]

In December 2019, he was appointed Commander of the Operational Command North.[18] In December 2020 he graduated from the National University Ostroh Academy with a master's degree in International Relations.[19] [20]

2021–2024: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

On 27 July 2021, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Zaluzhnyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,[21] replacing General Ruslan Khomchak in this position.[22] [23] The following day he was also appointed as a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.[24]

Zaluzhnyi is widely regarded as an open-minded officer.[25] Representing a new generation of Ukrainian officers, Zaluzhnyi has radically departed from established Soviet military practices.[21] [26] One of his first steps in office was to allow the military at the front to open fire in response to the enemy without the consent of the upper leadership and eliminate the need for the military to fill out unnecessary documents.[27]

Regarding his priorities as Commander-in-Chief, Zaluzhnyi said in 2021:

On 5 March 2022, 10 days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy promoted him to the rank of General,[28] the highest possible rank in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. International experts and analysts have given Zaluzhnyi high marks for the effectiveness of his command at the front against the Russian military.[29]

Reporting by the Washington Post[30] in 2023 and The Wall Street Journal[31] in 2024, allege that Zaluzhnyi and other Ukrainians carried out the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. He has not been formally connected to the event by Ukraine or international governments, and has denied involvement.

Zaluzhny has been among the most popular people in Ukraine in 2022,[32] in January 2023, when he was liked by 87% of Ukrainian respondents and disliked by 4%,[33] and in December 2023 when 88% of Ukrainians expressed trust in Zaluzhnyi.[34]

In January 2023, he received a US$1 million inheritance from Gregory Stepanets, a Ukrainian-American. Zaluzhny donated it all to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and humanitarian nonprofits in Ukraine.[35] [36] [37] [38]

In June 2023, Zaluzhnyi appealed to Western allies to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and MGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles, saying Ukraine's counter-offensive was being slowed by a lack of modern fighter jets and artillery ammunition.[39] He told The Economist in an interview published on 1 November 2023, "Just like in the First World War we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate. There will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough." Zaluzhnyi said he underestimated the Russian leadership's willingness to sacrifice its soldiers, saying that "Russia has lost at least 150,000 dead. In any other country such casualties would have stopped the war."[40] Zaluzhnyi's statement that the war had reached a "stalemate" was publicly criticized by President Zelenskyy.

In December 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense led by Rustem Umerov proposed to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 additional Ukrainian citizens, including Ukrainian men living abroad,[41] [42] into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[43] On 26 December, Zaluzhnyi said that the military command had not formally requested the mobilization, but the Ukrainian General Staff believed that 450-500,000 citizens should be mobilized to create new military units, while "forecasting the losses we may incur next year."[44]

On 2 February 2024, Zaluzhnyi wrote that "the weakness of the international sanctions' regime means Russia … is still able to deploy its military-industrial complex in pursuit of a war of attrition against us. We must acknowledge the significant advantage enjoyed by [Russia] in mobilizing human resources and how that compares with the inability of state institutions in Ukraine to improve the manpower levels of our armed forces without the use of unpopular measures."[45] He concluded that "the number one priority here is mastery of an entire arsenal of (relatively) cheap, modern and highly effective, unmanned vehicles and other technological means. ...this means nothing less than the wholesale redesign of battlefield operations – and the abandoning of outdated, stereotypical thinking."[46]

On, Zaluzhnyi was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Oleksandr Syrskyi, previously the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.[47] [48] Following his replacement, he was decorated with the award Hero of Ukraine by Zelenskyy.[49] The dismissal came amid increasing tension between him and Zelenskyy. He was formally dismissed from the military by Zelenskky on "health grounds" on 9 May, but was allowed to wear a military uniform.[50]

Post-military career

On 7 March 2024, Zelenskyy named Zaluzhnyi as the new Ukrainian ambassador to the UK.[51] He formally presented his credentials on 10 July 2024.[52] [53]

Military ranks

Awards

Ukrainian
Foreign

Legacy

In February 2023, the village of Vatutine, Kharkiv Oblast was set to be renamed Zaluzhne in honor of Zaluzhnyi.[66]

Streets in Pokrov,[67] Stara Syniava,[68] Konotop,[69] and Malyn[70] are named after him.

Family

Zaluzhnyi is married with two daughters. His older daughter serves in the military, his younger is studying to become a physician.[71]

References

Information

Interviews

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ukraine's 'iron general' is a hero, but he's no star . 16 June 2022 . POLITICO . 8 April 2022 . en.
  2. Web site: Hoffman . Bryce . Business Leaders Need To Be More Like Ukraine's "Iron General" And Less Like Russia's Dinosaurs . 16 June 2022 . Forbes . en.
  3. Web site: Ukraine's Zelenskiy says time has come for changes at top of military . . 2024-02-08 . 2024-02-08 . reuters.com . en .
  4. Web site: Зміна керівництва ЗСУ: Зеленський звільнив Залужного і призначив головкомом ЗСУ Сирського . Change of leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Zelensky dismisses Zaluzhny and appoints Syrsky as chief of the Armed Forces . . 2024-02-08 . 2024-02-08 . suspilne.media . Пізніше Зеленський повідомив, що звільнив Залужного із посади головнокомандувача ЗСУ, а на його місце призначив генерал-полковника Олександра Сирського. .
  5. https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/6177692/valeriy-zaluzhnyy/ "Valeriy Zaluzhnyy"
  6. News: 18 November 2022 . 'We hit them with slingshots': Ukraine's 'iron general' shows his mettle . Financial Times . 18 November 2022.
  7. News: Kramer and . Andrew E. . Santora . Marc . 8 February 2024 . Zelensky Removes His Top General, in Major Shake-Up of Ukraine Military . live . https://archive.today/20240209012133/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/world/europe/zelensky-general-valery-zaluzhny-ukraine-military.html . 9 February 2024 . 2 March 2024 . The New York Times.
  8. Web site: Ukraine's Ex-Army Chief Zaluzhny Appointed Ambassador to U.K. . . 2024-03-07 . 2024-03-07 . themoscowtimes.com . en .
  9. Web site: Zelensky Names Ukraine's Ex-Top General Ambassador to U.K. . 2024-03-07 . 2024-03-07 . . en-US . Constant Méheut . Kyiv . limited .
  10. Web site: Ukraine's 'iron general' is a hero, but he's no star. 8 April 2022. POLITICO.
  11. Web site: Ukraine Army Commander Valery Zaluzhny: Time to Erase "Soviet Thinking". Aleksandra. Klitina. 30 May 2022. Kyiv Post.
  12. Web site: 5 November 2010. Валерій Залужний: "Новоград-Волинський був колискою мрій і прагнень, Володимир-Волинський дав можливість втілити їх у життя…". 1 March 2018. zvyagel.com.ua. Звягель. uk.
  13. Web site: У найбільшої військової частини у Волинській області новий командир!. 11 August 2021. blogs.korrespondent.net. uk.
  14. Web site: генерал-майор ЗАЛУЖНИЙ Валерій Федорович. 25 August 2021. www.zsu.gov.ua. uk.
  15. News: Брифінг начальника штабу — першого заступника Командувача об'єднаних сил генерал-майора Валерія Залужного. Офіційний вебсайт Міністерства оборони України. 1 May 2018.
  16. News: To defeat Russia, Ukraine's top commander pushes to fight on his terms. 14 July 2023. 14 July 2023. en. The Washington Post. https://archive.today/20230714174529/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/14/ukraine-military-valery-zaluzhny-russia/. 14 July 2023.
  17. Андрій Стець.Головнокомандувач ЗСУ розповів, як у 2019 році у Брюсселі його затримав Інтерпол, Zaxid.net, 14.07.2023
  18. Web site: В ОК "Північ" новий командувач — генерал-майор Валерій Залужний. 10 December 2019. armyinform.com.ua. АрміяInform. uk.
  19. Web site: Сфера оборони має функціонувати стабільно, скоординовано, з чіткою перспективою та без непорозумінь між керівниками – Глава держави. 22 September 2021. Міністерство оборони України.
  20. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №320/2021. 28 July 2021. Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України. uk.
  21. News: Ukraine's top soldier runs a different kind of army from Russia's . The Economist . limited . 15 December 2022 . 20 December 2022.
  22. Web site: Хомчак іде з посади. Призначено нового головнокомандувача – ОП. 27 July 2021. Українська правда.
  23. Web site: Названо наступника Хомчака на посаді головнокомандувача ЗСУ. 27 July 2021. РБК-Украина. uk.
  24. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №325/2021. 28 July 2021. Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України. uk.
  25. Web site: Хто такий новий головнокомандувач ЗСУ Валерій Залужний. 27 July 2021. Радіо Свобода. uk.
  26. News: Генерал Валерій Залужний. Що відомо про нового головнокомандувача ЗСУ. 27 July 2021. BBC News Україна. uk.
  27. Web site: Військовим в зоні ООС дозволили відповідати окупантам без узгодження з вищим керівництвом, - головнокомандувач ЗСУ Залужний. 29 September 2021. Еспресо - український погляд на світ!. uk.
  28. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №108/2022.
  29. Shuster . Simon . Bergengruen . Vera . 26 September 2022 . Inside the Ukrainian Counterstrike That Turned the Tide of the War . 22 December 2022 . Time . en.
  30. News: Harris . Shane . Mekhennet . Souad . U.S. had intelligence of detailed Ukrainian plan to attack Nord Stream pipeline . Washington Post . June 6, 2023 . June 6, 2023 . 6 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230606160741/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/06/nord-stream-pipeline-explosion-ukraine-russia/ . live .
  31. News: Pancevski . Bojan . A Drunken Evening, a Rented Yacht: The Real Story of the Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage . The Wall Street Journal . August 14, 2024 . August 16, 2024.
  32. News: Ukraine's top soldier runs a different kind of army from Russia's . The Economist . 15 December 2022.
  33. News: Polls show Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi to be most popular of Ukraine's leaders . Yahoo News . 28 February 2023.
  34. News: Zelensky fires Ukraine's military chief in major shakeup nearly two years into war . CNN . 8 February 2024.
  35. Web site: Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief inherits US$1 million and donates it to Ukrainian army. www.pravda.com.ua. 24 January 2023.
  36. News: Russia-Ukraine War: The U.S. Plans to Send M1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, Officials Say. The New York Times. 24 January 2023. 25 January 2023. 0362-4331. en-US. Helene. Cooper. Eric. Schmitt.
  37. News: Залужний отримав у спадок $1 млн та пожертвував його ЗСУ. 24 January 2023. uk. Ліга.Новини. 25 January 2023.
  38. Web site: Залужний отримав у спадок мільйон доларів і пожертвував їх на армію. Українська правда. 25 January 2023. uk.
  39. News: Ukraine commander irked by lack of arms promised for offensive . Al Jazeera . 1 July 2023.
  40. News: Ukraine's Top Commander Says War Has Hit a 'Stalemate' . The New York Times . 2 November 2023.
  41. News: Estonia prepared to repatriate mobilization-aged men to Ukraine . ERR News . 22 December 2023.
  42. News: Germany Says It Will Not Force Ukrainian Refugees To Return And Fight . Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . 22 December 2023.
  43. News: Ukraine draft law proposes lowering mobilization age to 25 from 27 . CNBC . 25 December 2023.
  44. News: Ukrainian General Staff believes it may need 500k mobilized in 2024, says Zaluzhnyi . The New Voice of Ukraine . 26 December 2023.
  45. News: Exclusive: Ukraine must adapt to a reduction in Western military aid, embattled army chief says . CNN . 2 February 2024.
  46. News: Ukraine's army chief: The design of war has changed . CNN . 8 February 2024.
  47. Web site: Zelensky sacks Ukraine's commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi . . 8 February 2024 . https://archive.today/20240208170431/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68244813 . 8 February 2024 . en . 8 February 2024 . live.
  48. Web site: Walker . Shaun . Volodymyr Zelenskiy fires top Ukraine army commander . . 8 February 2024 . https://archive.today/20240208170627/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/08/volodymyr-zelenskiy-fires-top-ukraine-army-commander . 8 February 2024 . en . 8 February 2024 . live.
  49. News: 9 February 2024 . Martin Fornusek . Zelensky grants Hero of Ukraine award to Zaluzhnyi . The Kyiv Independent.
  50. News: 9 March 2024 . Elsa Court . Zelensky dismisses Zaluzhnyi from military service . The Kyiv Independent.
  51. News: Valerii Zaluzhnyi: Ukraine to appoint ex-army chief as UK ambassador . James Waterhouse. Johanna Chisholm . Reuters . 7 March 2024 . 8 March 2024.
  52. https://uk.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/general-valerij-zaluzhnij-vruchiv-kopiyi-virchih-gramot
  53. Web site: The London Diplomatic List – Revised August 2024. gov.uk. Government of the United Kingdom. August 2024. 20 August 2024. ODT.
  54. Web site: 24 August 2017. Президент України підписав Указ "Про присвоєння військових звань". mil.gov.ua.
  55. Web site: 5 March 2022. Twitter account of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. twitter.com.
  56. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №61/2024.
  57. Decree of the President of Ukraine from 6 May 2022 year № 316/2022 «Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України "Хрест бойових заслуг"»
  58. Decree of the President of Ukraine from 12 December 2016 year № 551/2016 «Про відзначення державними нагородами України з нагоди Дня Сухопутних військ України»
  59. Decree of the President of Ukraine from 26 July 2023 year № 453/2023 «Про нагородження В.Залужного відзнакою «Іменна вогнепальна зброя»»
  60. https://svoboda.te.ua/golovnokomanduvach-zsu-valerij-zaluzhnyj-laureat-vseukrayinskoyi-premiyi-im-brativ-lepkyh/ Головнокомандувач ЗСУ Валерій Залужний — лауреат Всеукраїнської премії ім. Братів Лепких
  61. https://nday.te.ua/u-ternopoli-vyznachyly-laureativ-vseukrajinskoji-premiji-brativ-lepkyh-za-2022-rik/ У Тернополі визначили лауреатів Всеукраїнської премії Братів Лепких за 2022 рік
  62. О. Кравченко. Епіфаній вручив Залужному орден святого Юрія Переможця, Lb.ua, 21 December 2022.
  63. Web site: Валерій Залужний — почесний громадянин Яворова . Катерина Садловська . 9 July 2023 .
  64. Web site: 1K-1393 Dėl apdovanojimo Lietuvos valstybės ordinais ir medaliais. e-seimas.lrs.lt.
  65. Web site: 6 July 2023. З нагоди Дня державності Литви – нагородження високопосадовців України. 6 July 2023. LRT. Lithuanian.
  66. News: Ukrainian village renamed after top general fighting Russia . Reuters. 15 February 2023. 8 February 2024.
  67. Web site: Вулиці Бориса Джонсона та Бориса Мозолевського: у Покрові затвердили нові назви вулиць та провулків (ОНОВЛЕНО) - "Нове місто + ТВ". Нове місто + ТВ. 28 May 2022. 31 May 2022. ru.
  68. Web site: У селищі на Хмельниччині назвали вулицю на честь Валерія Залужного. Укрінформ. 17 June 2022 . 25 January 2023. uk.
  69. Web site: У Конотопі з'явилась вулиця Валерія Залужного. Свої назви змінили ще ряд вулиць + Список. Голос Конотопа. 17 February 2023.
  70. Web site: У Малині на Житомирщині перейменували вулицю на честь Валерія Залужного. 12 July 2023 .
  71. Web site: Командовал дебальцевским направлением. Что известно о новом главкоме ВСУ Валерии Залужном | FaceNews.ua: новости Украины. www.facenews.ua.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Valerii Zaluzhnyi".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.