‘Wake up’

Former top commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi on how the Russia-Ukraine war is redefining modern warfare

On Monday, former Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi delivered his first public address since assuming his new role as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Land Warfare Conference in London, Zaluzhnyi urged democratic countries to “wake up” and decide how to protect their citizens and suggested that society must be prepared to sacrifice some freedoms in times of war. He also asserted that technological advancements made during Russia’s war against Ukraine will shape “the art of war in the 21st century.” Meduza shares key moments from his speech.

Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute on Monday, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.K. Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated that the lessons learned from Ukraine’s struggle will prove “useful to everyone looking for a path to peace” and that free and democratic countries must “wake up and think about how to protect their citizens and their countries.” He underscored the importance of avoiding wars but also stressed that societies must be prepared for them if they arise.

Perhaps the most difficult and important component is the readiness of society, based on honest and transparent communication between the government and the people. Society must agree to temporarily give up a range of freedoms for the sake of survival. Modern wars, unfortunately, are total. They require the efforts not only of the army but also of society as a whole.

The former commander said that the struggle for freedom and independence in one country should serve as a guiding principle for the “survival of democracy in other free countries.” He argued that it is always challenging for the army of a democratic nation to combat the forces of an authoritarian regime, as these regimes perceive democracy as a weakness to exploit through various means, including disinformation. As the country was plunged into full-scale war on the night of February 24, 2022, it was “through the lives of ordinary Ukrainians” that Ukraine “won a chance” for itself, Zaluzhnyi said.

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According to him, changes to tactical approaches during the Russian-Ukrainian war will define “the outlines of wars and the art of war in the 21st century” and will become the “foundation of the entire global security system of the future.”

Until recently, one could confidently say that unmanned systems are the main reason for changes in strategies, forms, and methods of application. But even today, it is probably necessary to introduce a broader concept — technology. […] Simply put, today we have already invented a way to fight and win against stronger armies in the 21st century. Obviously, it is the technology that should ensure the sustainability of the Ukrainian nation.

Zaluzhnyi noted that scientific and technological progress has “brought to the battlefield the technologies that are likely to be decisive in this war.” In his view, the question now is who will master them faster — the “democratic world or the world of tyranny.” At the same time, he admitted that neither side was likely to “master” these technologies “in the near future” and that the only solution may be to “increase the number of human resources involved in hostilities.” Zaluzhnyi described the war as part of a “transitional period” militarily, stating that while it isn’t yet “a war of the future,” it is establishing “new rules.”

According to Zaluzhnyi, while Ukraine has been innovative in developing and implementing various technologies, the main challenge is scaling up production. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s partners have resources but lack the “practical field to test them.” Zaluzhnyi emphasized that Ukraine and its Western allies can only make effective use of resources by working together, noting that time is no longer on Ukraine’s side.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi served as the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces from 2021 until his dismissal in February 2024. In the lead-up to his dismissal, Ukrainian and Western media outlets reported on a rumored conflict between the commander and President Volodymyr Zelensky. On May 8, the president relieved Zaluzhnyi of military service and appointed him as the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom.