Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and current Ambassador to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny made a loud statement about the essence of war and the need for difficult but honest decisions. During a speech at the opening of the Ukrainian School of Management, he said that war is not only about heroism, but also about cold calculation and the willingness to kill the enemy.
“Being ready to die for Ukraine is important. But that is not enough. We must also be ready to kill,” Zaluzhny said.
In his opinion, only those who are able to make both decisions — not to fear death and not to be afraid to destroy the enemy — have the right to stand in the ranks. This, according to Zaluzhny, is what builds fighting spirit and enables Ukrainians to resist the aggressor.
“The willingness to kill to protect one’s land, one’s people, one’s family is what makes our struggle possible,” he explained.
Zaluzhny emphasized that the fighting spirit of Ukrainians has deep cultural roots and is formed through a national code that is “embedded in us in the form of culture.” It is this culture, in his opinion, that Russia is fighting against.
“Our task is to prevent this chain from being interrupted. To pass it on to our children and grandchildren so that it expands and is not lost,” Zaluzhny added.
In addition, the ambassador recalled his strategic mistake at the beginning of the full-scale war: he believed that massive losses would demoralize the Russian army. But the reality turned out to be different - the Russian leadership does not care about the lives of its soldiers.
“Putin is ready to pay any price for victory. But, like Hitler, this will be a fatal decision for him,” Valery Zaluzhny concluded.
