Zaluzhnyi was previously the Commander of theNorth 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 theWest Operational Command (2017), and Commander of the51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (2009–2012).
Zaluzhnyi was named byTime 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 theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[7] He was dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief on 8 February 2024 amid increasing tension between him and PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy.[8]
Zaluzhnyi was born on 8 July 1973 inNovohrad-Volynskyi,Ukrainian SSR,Soviet Union (now Zviahel, Ukraine). In 1989, Zaluzhnyi graduated from the city school No. 9 and entered theZviahel Machine-Building Technical School, from which he graduated in 1991 with honors. He later entered the general military faculty of theOdesa 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.[1][18]
According to an interview withThe Washington Post, in 2019, Zaluzhnyi was detained at the airport inBrussels, where he had arrived to participate in theNATO summit. The reason was that he was put on the international wanted list at the request of the Russian Federation. During his detention byInterpol, he managed to call Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, who subsequently resolved the situation.[24][25]
Zaluzhnyi is widely regarded as an open-minded officer.[33] Representing a new generation of Ukrainian officers, Zaluzhnyi has radically departed from established Soviet military practices.[29][34] 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.[35]
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.[36]
On 5 March 2022, 10 days after theRussian invasion of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy promoted him to the rank of General,[37] 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.[38]
Zaluzhny has been among the most popular people in Ukraine in 2022,[29] in January 2023, when he was liked by 87% of Ukrainian respondents and disliked by 4%,[41] and in December 2023 when 88% of Ukrainians expressed trust in Zaluzhnyi.[42]
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.[43][44][45][46]
In June 2023, Zaluzhnyi appealed to Western allies to supply Ukraine withF-16 fighter jets andMGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles, saying Ukraine'scounter-offensive was being slowed by a lack of modern fighter jets and artillery ammunition.[47] He toldThe Economist in an interview published on 1 November 2023, "Just like in theFirst 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."[48] Zaluzhnyi's statement that the war had reached a "stalemate" was publicly criticized by President Zelenskyy.[8]
In December 2023, theUkrainian Ministry of Defense led byRustem Umerov proposed tomobilize 450,000 to 500,000 additional Ukrainian citizens, including Ukrainian men living abroad,[49][50] into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[51] On 26 December, Zaluzhnyi said that the military command had not formally requested the mobilization, but theUkrainian 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."[52]
On 2 February 2024, Zaluzhnyi wrote that "the weakness of theinternational sanctions' regime means Russia … is still able to deploy its military-industrial complex in pursuit of awar of attrition against us. We must acknowledge the significant advantage enjoyed by [Russia] inmobilizing 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."[53] 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."[54]
On 8 February 2024, Zaluzhnyi was replaced as Commander-in-Chief byOleksandr Syrskyi, previously the commander of theUkrainian Ground Forces.[55][56] Following his replacement, he was decorated with the awardHero of Ukraine by Zelenskyy.[57] 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.[58]
On 7 March 2024, Zelenskyy named Zaluzhnyi as the new Ukrainian ambassador to the UK.[59] He formally presented his credentials on 10 July 2024.[60][61][62]
On 20 December 2024, Zaluzhnyi released his memoir titledMy War, the first part of a planned three-volume autobiography. The book was edited by his wife.[63]
On 3 March 2025, Zelenskyy appointed Zaluzhnyi as Ukraine's Permanent Representative to theInternational Maritime Organization, in addition to his role as ambassador to the UK.[13][12][11]
In May 2025, speaking by video to a technological weapons forum in Kyiv, Zaluzhnyi said "I hope that there are not people in this room who still hope for some kind of miracle or lucky sign that will bring peace to Ukraine, the borders of 1991 or 2022" and he recommended the approach of a hi-tech war of survival given Ukraine's smaller army and difficult economic circumstances. He said "Ukraine is not capable of another war in terms of demography and economy".[64][65]
^"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. Retrieved8 February 2024.Пізніше Зеленський повідомив, що звільнив Залужного із посади головнокомандувача ЗСУ, а на його місце призначив генерал-полковника Олександра Сирського.
Головнокомандувач ЗСУ Залужний: Хотів би проїхатися на танку по Арбату. Рандеву з Яніною Соколовою onYouTube, 5 канал, 4 September 2021.
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