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Valerii Zaluzhnyi

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In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Fedorovych and the family name is Zaluzhnyi.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Валерій Залужний
Official portrait, 2021
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 July 2024
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Prime MinisterDenys Shmyhal
Preceded byVadym Prystaiko
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
In office
27 July 2021 – 8 February 2024
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Prime MinisterDenys Shmyhal
Preceded byRuslan Khomchak
Succeeded byOleksandr Syrskyi
Personal details
Born (1973-07-08) 8 July 1973 (age 51)
Novohrad-Volynskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Zviahel, Ukraine)
Alma mater1) Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine
2) Odesa Military Academy
3) National University Ostroh Academy
Nickname"Iron General"[1][2]
Military service
AllegianceUkraine
Years of service1993–2024
RankGeneral
Commands1) 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/wars
Awards

Valerii Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi[a] (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.[4][5] 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.[6] 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.[7] He was dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief on 8 February 2024 amid increasing tension between him and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[8]

Zaluzhnyi was appointed the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom in March 2024.[9][10]

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.[11][12]

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.[13] In October 2009, he was appointed commander of the 51st Mechanized Brigade, which he led until 2012.[14]

In 2014, Zaluzhnyi graduated from the Ivan Cherniakhovskyi National Defense University of Ukraine.[15] In 2017, he was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the Operational Command West.[16] 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.[17]

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.[18][19]

In December 2019, he was appointed Commander of the Operational Command North.[20] In December 2020 he graduated from the National University Ostroh Academy with a master's degree in International Relations.[21][22]

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,[23] replacing General Ruslan Khomchak in this position.[24][25] The following day he was also appointed as a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.[26]

Zaluzhnyi is widely regarded as an open-minded officer.[27] Representing a new generation of Ukrainian officers, Zaluzhnyi has radically departed from established Soviet military practices.[23][28] 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.[29]

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

The overall course of reforming Ukraine's Armed Forces in line with NATO principles and standards remains irreversible. And the key here is the principles. Changes must take place primarily in the worldview and attitude toward people. I would like you to turn your face to the people, to your subordinates. My attitude towards people has not changed throughout my service.[30]

On 5 March 2022, 10 days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy promoted him to the rank of General,[31] 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.[32]

Reporting by the Washington Post[33] in 2023 and The Wall Street Journal[34] 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.

Zaluzhnyi with Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi (left) during the Battle of Kyiv, March 2022

Zaluzhny has been among the most popular people in Ukraine in 2022,[35] in January 2023, when he was liked by 87% of Ukrainian respondents and disliked by 4%,[36] and in December 2023 when 88% of Ukrainians expressed trust in Zaluzhnyi.[37]

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.[38][39][40][41]

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.[42] 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."[43] Zaluzhnyi's statement that the war had reached a "stalemate" was publicly criticized by President Zelenskyy.[8]

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,[44][45] into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[46] 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."[47]

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."[48] 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."[49]

On 8 February 2024, Zaluzhnyi was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Oleksandr Syrskyi, previously the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.[50][51] Following his replacement, he was decorated with the award Hero of Ukraine by Zelenskyy.[52] The dismissal came amid increasing tension between him and Zelenskyy.[8] He was formally dismissed from the military by Zelenskyy on "health grounds" on 9 May, but was allowed to wear a military uniform.[53]

Post-military career

Zaluzhnyi (centre) meeting with First Minister of Scotland John Swinney (right) in October 2024

On 7 March 2024, Zelenskyy named Zaluzhnyi as the new Ukrainian ambassador to the UK.[54] He formally presented his credentials on 10 July 2024.[55][56][57]

On 20 December 2024, Zaluzhnyi released his memoir titled My War, the first part of a planned three-volume autobiography. The book was edited by his wife.[58]

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.[70]

Streets in Pokrov,[71] Stara Syniava,[72] Konotop,[73] and Malyn[74] 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.[75]

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes transliterated as Valery or Valeriy Zaluzhny[3]

References

  1. ^ "Ukraine's 'iron general' is a hero, but he's no star". POLITICO. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  2. ^ Hoffman, Bryce. "Business Leaders Need To Be More Like Ukraine's "Iron General" And Less Like Russia's Dinosaurs". Forbes. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. ^ Nikiforov, Serhiy (27 July 2021). "Valeriy Zaluzhny appointed as Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces instead of Khomchak – Zelensky's press secretary" (Press release). Interfax-Ukraine.
  4. ^ "Ukraine's Zelenskiy says time has come for changes at top of military". reuters.com. Reuters. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  5. ^ "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]. suspilne.media. Suspilne. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024. Пізніше Зеленський повідомив, що звільнив Залужного із посади головнокомандувача ЗСУ, а на його місце призначив генерал-полковника Олександра Сирського.
  6. ^ "Valeriy Zaluzhnyy", Time, 23 May 2022.
  7. ^ "'We hit them with slingshots': Ukraine's 'iron general' shows his mettle". Financial Times. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Kramer and, Andrew E.; Santora, Marc (8 February 2024). "Zelensky Removes His Top General, in Major Shake-Up of Ukraine Military". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Ukraine's Ex-Army Chief Zaluzhny Appointed Ambassador to U.K." themoscowtimes.com. The Moscow Times. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  10. ^ Constant Méheut (7 March 2024). "Zelensky Names Ukraine's Ex-Top General Ambassador to U.K.". The New York Times. Kyiv. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Ukraine's 'iron general' is a hero, but he's no star". POLITICO. 8 April 2022.
  12. ^ Klitina, Aleksandra (30 May 2022). "Ukraine Army Commander Valery Zaluzhny: Time to Erase "Soviet Thinking"". Kyiv Post.
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  23. ^ a b "Ukraine's top soldier runs a different kind of army from Russia's". The Economist. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
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  29. ^ "Військовим в зоні ООС дозволили відповідати окупантам без узгодження з вищим керівництвом, - головнокомандувач ЗСУ Залужний". Еспресо - український погляд на світ! (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  30. ^ "Новий головнокомандувач ЗСУ Залужний назвав свої пріоритети на цій посаді". Еспресо - український погляд на світ! (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  31. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №108/2022".
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  53. ^ Elsa Court (9 March 2024). "Zelensky dismisses Zaluzhnyi from military service". The Kyiv Independent.
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  55. ^ Valerii Zaluzhnyi on Telegram
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  60. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №61/2024".
  61. ^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 6 May 2022 year № 316/2022 «Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України "Хрест бойових заслуг"» (in Ukrainian)
  62. ^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 12 December 2016 year № 551/2016 «Про відзначення державними нагородами України з нагоди Дня Сухопутних військ України» (in Ukrainian)
  63. ^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 26 July 2023 year № 453/2023 «Про нагородження В.Залужного відзнакою «Іменна вогнепальна зброя»» (in Ukrainian)
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  65. ^ У Тернополі визначили лауреатів Всеукраїнської премії Братів Лепких за 2022 рік, Наш день, 27 December 2022.
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Information

Interviews

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
External videos
video icon Головнокомандувач ЗСУ Залужний: Хотів би проїхатися на танку по Арбату. Рандеву з Яніною Соколовою on YouTube, 5 канал, 4 September 2021.
video icon Валерій Залужний на Всеукраїнському форумі «Україна 30. Захисники» on YouTube, Конгрес місцевих та регіональних влад, 3 November 2021.
video icon «Війна змінила мою долю»: історія головнокомандувача ЗСУ Валерія Залужного. Таємниці війни on YouTube, 5 канал, 2 December 2021.
video icon Year. Off-screen. General. Special project of Dmytro Komarov. Part three [Eng + Ru subtitles] on YouTube, Світ навиворіт, 12 May 2023.
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