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Zaluzhny considered it “almost impossible” for Ukraine to exit the “protracted war”
The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army said Ukraine was in a state of "protracted war" after a failed counteroffensive last year. Zaluzhny blamed the failure on a lack of military support from the West. The Kremlin said it was confident of victory.
It will be difficult for Ukraine to emerge from the protracted military conflict, said former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and now Ukrainian ambassador to London Valeriy Zaluzhny, reports the Kyiv Independent.
He said the West failed to provide Ukraine with sufficient weapons last year, preventing it from achieving "significant success" in its counteroffensive in the summer of 2023.
"As a result, we are in a state of protracted war. "In my personal opinion, it seems almost impossible to avoid this protracted war," he said.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in February this year that the military operation in Ukraine "could last a little longer" because it had taken the form of a war not only against Ukraine but also against Western groups. President Putin has repeatedly said that Ukraine's counteroffensive has failed.
Zaluznyi served as commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2021, but was dismissed in February this year. Before Zaluznyi's resignation, there was a conflict between him and President Volodymyr Zelensky over military issues. In the spring, the former commander-in-chief became ambassador to England, and Oleksandr Syrsky became commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
As reported by Politico, Zaluzny assessed the Ukrainian military's intention to attack the Kursk region as an adventure. He noted that there is no clear plan for what Ukrainian forces will do once they break through the defenses on the Ukrainian-Russian border and create a bridgehead.
Zaluzhny also spoke negatively about the possibility of lowering the mobilization age in Ukraine. This year, the lower limit was changed from 27 to 25 years. As the former commander-in-chief noted, mobilization should not affect young people aged 18-25. Because these people are needed for the future of Ukraine.
At the same time, he said that young people should be mobilized "as a last resort." "When a country reaches such a wall and its very existence is threatened, only older youth can mobilize. People between 18 and 25 can save money."