Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and today the ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, commented to the AP agency on a number of issues related to his tense relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zaluzhny's statements and accusations against Zelensky
In an article under the title "Former army commander-in-chief, considered Zelensky's main rival, tells the AP about the rift between the two". The article is a retelling of the conversation with Zaluzhny, with almost no direct quotes.
The agency notes that Zaluzhny spoke about the differences in the views of the two, as well as about the attempted search of his command post by security forces, which he perceived as intimidation. Speaking to the AP, Zaluzhny also blamed the authorities in Kiev for the failure of the 2023 counteroffensive - because Zelensky and other officials did not allocate the necessary resources.
In addition, Zaluzhny criticized Ukraine's military strategy: according to him, it is based on an unrealistic number of troops and is not well enough organized when it comes to the development and application of new technologies on the battlefield. The AP emphasizes that the general did not comment on his political ambitions so as not to harm national unity during the war.
The agency's publication sparked heated discussions in Ukrainian political and expert circles - mainly on the question of whether it is just an explanation of complex military decisions or is it still a signal for the beginning of a large-scale political game on the eve of the elections. A current sociological survey shows that Volodymyr Zelensky enjoys the highest trust (62%) among Ukrainian politicians and public and political figures. However, among representatives of the defense sphere, Valery Zaluzhny receives the greatest trust (72%).
Start of the election campaign in Ukraine?
Zaluzhny's statements have a distinct political color and may indicate the beginning of an election campaign – although elections have not been formally announced, political scientist Peter Oleshchuk told DW.
He emphasizes that the topic of Zaluzhny's conversation with AP has no direct relation to the military sphere. "In essence, this is a political statement. It does not concern the army or military issues. This is entering into a political conflict with the incumbent president, respectively - the beginning of a political campaign", believes Oleshchuk.
"Why right now? Probably in the context of the negotiations and the general excitement in political circles. There are many rumors about possible elections and almost all politicians are trying not to be late with the start,", explains Oleshchuk to DW.
At the same time, the political scientist emphasizes that even if the end of the war and the holding of elections are hypothetical for now, this does not stop political activity. Oleshchuk's opinion is that the Ukrainian political class is already in fact working in a pre-election preparation mode, so no public politician would make such statements without a political goal.
In this context, Oleshchuk draws attention to Zaluzhny's harsh tone. "From the point of view of political technology, it seems dubious to start your political campaign with criticism. This strategy immediately provokes criticism not only of Zelensky, but also discussion of the role of Zaluzhny himself. This is entering into discussions that may seem strange against the backdrop of the war," explains Oleshchuk.
His conviction is that a more logical start could be the rhetoric of unification, not confrontation. Since the task of a potential candidate is not only to distance himself from the current government, but also to offer his own positive program.
The article about Zaluzhny – in response to information attacks?
Political scientist Igor Reiterovich does not exclude the political subtext, although he does not consider it decisive. "For example, one can calculate that Zelensky will start to get nervous and fire Zaluzhny. After which he will be able to engage in political activity with his hands free. But I do not particularly believe in this."
Reiterovich believes that one of the possible motives for the appearance of the material may be an attempt to respond to the information attacks against the former commander-in-chief, recently launched in Ukrainian publications on Telegram. "In various anonymous channels associated with the authorities, quite dirty things have appeared about Zaluzhny. And without specific facts – only trolling and attacks."
According to the political scientist, in this context, the publication could be a way for Zaluzhny to publicly explain his position on the counteroffensive and the reasons for the failures, without disclosing any new information.
Symbolic context due to the war anniversary?
Another possible aspect mentioned to DW by experts is the anniversary of the start of the war. Given this, the article with Zaluzhny's statements may not be so much a political manifesto as an attempt to present his version of events in a historical context or simply an analysis of events from those four years of war.
Political scientist Nikolai Davidyuk says that the publication should be viewed precisely through the prism of the retrospective of the four years of war, and not as the start of an election marathon. "Everyone remembers what it was and how it was. If this were an election start, it would look different. The election campaign consists of billboards, headquarters and teams, not memories of the past," the expert explains to DW.
Author: Liliya Rzheutskaya