The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny summed up the year of the war, gave a forecast for the future and told what he thinks about the government draft law on new mobilization rules.
On December 26, Valery Zaluzhnyi held his first press conference during the full-scale invasion. It was short and not widely broadcast.
Zaluzhnyi commented on the high-profile package of government draft laws on mobilization, demobilization and military service, which was submitted to the parliament the day before, and also spoke briefly about the situation at the front and hinted at what the next year may turn out to be for Ukrainian defense.
How many mobilized are needed
Before the press conference, Zaluzhny, who practically never gives out comments to the media, briefly joined the national telethon.
In particular, he commented on the statement of President Zelensky, who claimed that the military command invited 450,000-500,000 recruits to be mobilized next year to replenish the army.
Zaluzhnyi specified that the General Staff "did not make any request for any figures."
He said, the army forms its needs, taking into account the current shortfall, the formation of new military units and forecasts of losses that may occur in the next year.
"We cannot divulge this number because it is a military secret," he added.
"We are forming requests for resources - for military equipment and people. We submit all these proposals to the Ministry of Defense as a subject of the legislative initiative, which then decides how to ensure this. We need shells, weapons and people. All the rest is performed by bodies that have the authority," explained Zaluzhny.
Dodgers, mobilization and "not the business of the Armed Forces"
Already at the press conference, Zaluzhnyi commented in more detail on the draft laws on new mobilization rules.
The main one was brought to the parliament in the evening of December 25. It provides for lowering the age for those mobilized from 27 to 25, simplifying the procedure for military registration and serving summonses, as well as stricter sanctions for evasion up to thousands of fines and imprisonment.
In addition, the draft law provides for the possibility of demobilization for those who serve for more than three years during martial law and for those who have been in captivity.
Zaluzhnyi emphasized that although the military worked in the working group on the preparation of documents, most of the provisions, especially those directly related to the mobilization of civilians and sanctions against evaders, were not developed in the General Staff.
"We are an army, and we should fight, not interfere in the lives of civilians," he emphasized.
To the clarification of the Ukrainian Air Force, Zaluzhny also emphasized that it was not the military leadership that initiated the electronic summonses, which, as stated in the draft law, can be sent to the e-mail or to the e-office of the conscript.
"Exactly this proposal was not made by the General Staff," he said.
Answering the question about conscripts abroad, Zaluzhny added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have no intention of interfering in the lives of civilians who have left.
"The Armed Forces must fight and not in any way influence the civilian life of our peaceful citizens, including those who have left the borders of our country. For this purpose, there are central bodies of executive power that must make decisions. I can't give this assessment and I don't want to do it, but I will be very happy if after some time I see them in the army and I will be happy to organize their training," said the head.
According to Zaluzhnyi, it is important for the General Staff that the mobilization takes place, but in what way is the task of the government.
Zaluzhnyi expressed skepticism about some positions of the draft law.
In particular, regarding the provision on mandatory rotation of the military after six months of hostilities.
"Of course, this norm is very interesting and, of course, I would like it to exist. But then again, our people are not in a competition right now, it's not a show that the whole world is watching. The situation at the front depends on the actions of the enemy. We cannot predict, it will be six months, five months, three months", explained the head.
"If people propose to conduct a rotation every six months, then they should understand that the combat set of troops must be increased at least twice," he emphasized.
At the same time, Zaluzhnyi admitted that it was the Armed Forces of Ukraine who offered to give up military service and were ready to do so.
According to the new draft law, conscription should be replaced by basic military training, which young men aged 18 to 25 must undergo within a few months.
"As of the summer, we were not ready to change the conscripts, but somewhere at the end of November, it was absolutely our proposal. ... As of today, we do not need them," he explained.
About demobilization
Separately, he focused on the demobilization of soldiers who have been fighting at the front for a long time.
He added that the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense have agreed to allow demobilization for those who have served more than 36 months continuously during martial law.
But only if there is no further escalation at the front. After all, then the question will arise - how and with whom to replace experienced people who will leave the Armed Forces.
"I clearly understand that our fighters at the front are currently in extremely difficult conditions," he said. - I hope that in 36 months we will cope with the task of replacing those people who are in extremely difficult conditions."
The situation at the front
Valery Zaluzhnyi spoke evasively about the prospects of the war.
"I can assure you that the next year will be different from 2023, we are doing everything for this," said the head.
He added that the management has identified the problems and is working on their solution.
Commenting on separate directions on the front - the bloody battles for Bakhmut, which the Russians took this summer, as well as the battles for Avdiivka and Maryinka, which are also under threat of full occupation - Zaluzhny emphasized that everything should be determined by military expediency:
"There is no need to get too hung up on it and make some kind of show or show of grief around some settlement. The conduct of hostilities is subject to its own laws, which do not depend on whether commanders, politicians or journalists like it."
Zaluzhnyi noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will defend every piece of land, but if it is necessary to save people, "we will make this decision and save people."
"The Russians are destroying cities, using a large number of shells. They can make it so that in 2-3 months, what happened to Bakhmut will be out of the city," added the head.
According to him, this is exactly what is happening in Avdiivka and Marinka. The situation in the latter is especially difficult, the Russian authorities have already reported that the city has been taken, but Zaluzhny denied it. He said the armed forces were still in its northern part.
"But I can say that this settlement no longer exists," he said, referring to the extensive destruction.
According to Zaluzhnyi, "there is nothing that can cause a public outcry" in the fact that the Ukrainian military has moved to the outskirts of Maryinka and is even setting up positions outside this city.
