“The size of Ukraine will depend on how many people will be ready to defend it”: Valerii Zaluzhnyi on war and mobilization
Valery Zaluzhny’s latest statements have become an important event in the information space, as they touch on key aspects of war, mobilization and the role of the state in a military conflict. The former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the current ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain on February 19 during video performance at the event “Ukraine is changing the world. Dialogues about opportunities” he admitted his own mistakes in the forecasts about the war, outlined the main problems for the Ukrainian army, the need for mobilization and spoke about the upcoming elections in the country.
How war has changed
Zaluzhnyi admitted that he had mistakenly believed that the heavy losses of the Russian army could force the Kremlin to abandon further aggression. He emphasized that human resources are cheap for Russia and they are ready to achieve their goals even through large-scale losses. Therefore, in his opinion, the destruction of enemy troops is of great importance, but in itself is not the key to victory.
To win, Ukraine needs a technological advantage, reliable international support and effective leadership. Currently, the Ukrainian army has weaknesses in technology development, in particular in the use of fiber-optic drones, defense against guided aerial bombs (UAB), and in the overall strength of the military.
Zaluzhny conducted a historical analysis of military changes. He noted that the First World War was characterized by the appearance of tanks, but the sides developed in parallel, which led to a military stalemate. In the 1970s, precision weapons and guided munitions appeared, and in the 1990s, GPS and space-based control systems.
He emphasized that today’s war has become technological thanks to the use of drones and electronic warfare (EW). Drones create a “dead zone” in which it is almost impossible to move, which greatly complicates combat operations.
Mobilization and the future of Ukraine
When Zaluzhny was asked about the optimal size of the Ukrainian army, he emphasized that it all depends on the number of people ready to fight. Currently, the Ukrainian army has about 900,000 soldiers, but this figure is not fixed.
He emphasized that the army should not exist separately from the state.
“The main thing for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not only the number of active troops, but also the number of prepared mobilization resources. It is important that people are ready to take up arms and defend the country, as it was in 2022.
Mobilization is necessary for a long-term conflict, as well as to ensure the defense capability of the country in the future. The size of Ukraine will depend on how many people are ready to defend it.
The situation may change. Perhaps now it is possible to make calculations and understand that even half of the existing mobilization resource will be enough. But the main thing is to have a sufficient number of trained people who are able to fight for Ukraine.” – said Zaluzhnyi.
He also stated that in the future it may turn out that Ukraine will have enough of half the army if the country provides an effective mobilization reserve.
International support and the role of Great Britain
As the ambassador to Great Britain, Zaluzhnyi said that he feels “in his place”. He noted that the British government and the military perfectly understand the realities of the war in Ukraine. However, he stressed that Western partners are still in a 2022 mindset, while the war has changed significantly. According to him, the partners have technologies, space capabilities and production capacities that must be directed to the victory of Ukraine.
Election issue
When Zaluzhny was asked about his possible participation in the upcoming elections, he replied that he would comment on it only when the proper conditions for their holding appear. He noted that the discussion of elections has intensified recently, in particular due to pressure from the United States, but elections are impossible under martial law. Despite this, sociological surveys show high support for Zaluzhny among Ukrainians, which makes him one of the main potential candidates in the future.
