The agency emphasizes that many perceive Zaluzhnyi as one of Zelensky's main political rivals. Despite this, he avoids discussing his political ambitions, stressing that in wartime, he does not wish to jeopardize national unity. Nevertheless, in a recent interview, he opened up for the first time about a serious rift with the head of state.
According to Zaluzhnyi, the tension in their relationship began to escalate soon after the start of the full-scale war in February 2022. Disputes between them revolved around methods of defending the country, which led to frequent conflicts.
The culmination of their disagreements occurred at the end of 2022 when employees of Ukraine's internal intelligence conducted a search of the former commander’s office. He views this incident as an act of intimidation that could undermine national unity at a critical moment. Even after some time, information about this incident could lead to polarization of public opinion in the country, the agency notes.
During the raid, Zaluzhnyi contacted the head of the president's administration, stating his readiness to involve the military to protect his command center. He mentioned, "I am ready to fight with you and have already called for reinforcements in Kyiv." Although the crisis at that moment was resolved, disagreements regarding military strategy continued, especially concerning the counteroffensive in 2023, which did not yield the expected results, Zaluzhnyi noted.
Reference
Photo from the internet. Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Valerii Zaluzhnyi is a general and Ukrainian military leader.
From July 27, 2021, to February 2024, he served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, leading the Armed Forces in the context of a full-scale war with Russia. In February 2024, he was relieved of his position.
After his resignation, Zaluzhnyi was appointed as Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom.
He is considered one of the most influential figures in the Ukrainian army during the war and is often mentioned in the context of potential future elections.
