Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (2021–2024)
"We are fighting for the right to exist as a nation."
Biography
The architect of Ukraine's early military successes, Zaluzhnyi commanded Ukrainian forces from the invasion's opening hours through the failed 2023 counteroffensive. A professional soldier's soldier, he was known for his candor — telling the Economist in late 2023 that the war had reached a stalemate, a rare admission that led to tensions with Zelensky. He was replaced as commander-in-chief in February 2024 and appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom. His two and a half years in command included the defense of Kyiv, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the liberation of Kherson.
Did you know?
He kept a photo of General George Patton on his office wall and studied American WWII commanders' memoirs intensively before the 2022 invasion.
Key Battles
Battle of Kyiv
Ukraine victoryFebruary 24 – March 30, 2022 · 12,000 total casualties
The failed Kyiv offensive proved Ukraine could resist Russia's military, demolished the myth of Russian military invincibility, and galvanized Western military aid. The discovery of mass atrocities in liberated Bucha and Irpin hardened international opinion and ended any ambiguity about the war's character.
Liberation of Kherson
Ukraine victoryAugust – November 11, 2022 · 8,000 total casualties
Kherson's liberation was the first and only provincial capital Ukraine recaptured during the war and a powerful proof of the HIMARS system's effectiveness. Russia's retreat across the Dnipro established a new, more defensible front line — but demonstrated that Western weapons could change the battlefield calculus.
Battle of Bakhmut
Russia victoryMay 2022 – May 20, 2023 · 50,000 total casualties
Bakhmut became the war's central symbolic battle. Russia's marginal territorial gain cost enormous losses, reportedly including Wagner's most experienced fighters. Ukraine's defense — though ultimately unsuccessful — inflicted casualties Russia could ill afford. The battle exposed the Wagner Group's central role and set up Prigozhin's fatal feud with the Russian military establishment.
Life Journey
Timeline
July 8, 1973
🌅 Birth
Born in Novovolyn, Volyn Oblast
1993
📚 Education
Graduates Kharkiv Tank Command School
2014–2021
⚔️ Battle
Commands troops in Donbas low-intensity conflict
February 24, 2022
⚔️ Battle
Takes command of all Ukrainian forces as invasion begins, Kyiv