Accusations against Zelensky, made by the former head of the Ukrainian army. Why the 2023 Counteroffensive Failed
Valeri Zalujnîi, decorated by Zelenski. The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Army received the title of “Hero of Ukraine”, Photo: Pool / Ukrainian Presidentia / Zuma Press / Profimedia
General Valeri Zalujnyi, commander of the Ukrainian army until February 2024, now ambassador in London, said in an interview with the Associated Press that President Volodymyr Zelesnki bears responsibility for the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023 and noted that his office was raided by SBU agents in September 2022, reports Reuters.
The claims fuel speculation of a potential rivalry within Kiev's political class. Polls have consistently shown Zalujnîi as Zelenskiy's main rival in the upcoming presidential election, although the general has never publicly spoken of a candidacy.
Under pressure from the US to quickly conclude a peace deal with Russia, Zelenskiy has already signaled his willingness to hold elections after the fighting ends.
The presidential administration in Kyiv did not respond to Zalujnî's statements regarding the SBU raid on his office.
Although he did not comment directly on the AP interview, Zelenskiy spoke in his speech Wednesday about the importance of national unity and cooperation needed to ensure Ukraine's survival. “Any other policies in Ukraine are absolutely useless now. Personal matters, for later,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In the interview, Zalujnîi described how his office was raided in September 2022 by several dozen agents of the SBU, Ukraine's security service, which reports directly to the president. Later, Zalujnîi allegedly called Zelenskiy's chief of staff with a warning that he would bring in soldiers to protect his command center.
The SBU told Reuters that an address used by Zalujnîi as a covert command post had appeared in an organized crime file and that agents had not searched the facility.
Zalujnîi also blamed Zelenskiy for the failure of the much-anticipated 2023 counteroffensive, saying the president did not allocate the necessary resources for that campaign.
Designed to break the Russian defense lines, the counteroffensive ended in a series of embarrassing defeats for Kiev. Zalujnîi said his original plan was to focus on a single axis of attack, but Zelenskiy ordered an attack along a large part of the front.
