Valeriy Zaluzhnyi

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we would like to tell you about the life and work of one of the most prominent personalities of modern Ukraine – Valeriy Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2021. This is a man who has come a long and glorious way from a simple soldier to the highest position in the army, who faithfully serves his homeland and protects its sovereignty and territorial integrity, who has received many awards and recognition from the Ukrainian people and the international community. How he became this way, what were his biggest challenges and achievements, what are his plans for the future – you will learn about all this in our article. We hope that you will find it interesting and educational.

Biography

Zaluzhnyi Valerii Fedorovych was born on July 8, 1973 in Novohrad-Volynskyi (now Zvyagel) in a family of military personnel. Since childhood, he dreamed of becoming a military man. In 1989, he graduated from the city school No. 9, entered the Novohrad-Volyn Machine-Building College, graduating with honors in 1993. Subsequently, he entered the Faculty of General Military Studies of the Odesa Institute of Land Forces. In 1997, he graduated with honors from the institute, after which he passed all the stages of military service: platoon commander, training platoon commander, combat platoon commander, training company commander, cadet company commander, battalion commander.

In 2005, he entered the National Defense Academy of Ukraine, graduated with a gold medal in 2007 and was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade. In 2014, he graduated from the Ivan Cherniakhovskyi National Defense University of Ukraine. He was awarded the Queen’s Transitional Sword of the United Kingdom as the best graduate of the operational and strategic level of training. In 2020, he received a PhD degree for defending his dissertation on “Strategic Management of Ukraine’s Military Security in Hybrid Warfare” at the Ostroh Academy.

Family

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi is married and has two daughters. His wife, Olena Zaluzhna, works at Ukrgasbank. Their eldest daughter, Anastasia Zaluzhna, is also a military officer and serves in the Kyiv garrison. Their youngest daughter, Maria Zaluzhna, is studying in Odesa and plans to become a doctor. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi loves his family and is proud of his children. He tries to spend as much time with them as possible when he is not busy with military affairs. He also maintains close ties with his parents, brothers and sisters who live in different cities of Ukraine.

Career

• In 1997, he graduated from the Odesa Institute of the Land Forces and became a platoon commander in the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
• In 1999, he was a training platoon commander at the 169th Training Center.
• In 2000, he was a combat platoon commander in the 51st Separate Mechanized Brigade.
• In 2002, he was the commander of a training company at the 169th Training Center.
• In 2004, he was a company commander of cadets at the Odesa Institute of the Land Forces.
• In 2005, he entered the National Defense Academy of Ukraine.
• In 2007, he graduated from the Academy with a gold medal and became Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
• In 2009, he became the commander of the 51st Separate Mechanized Brigade.
• In 2012, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi was appointed Deputy Commander of the Donbas sector in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. He coordinated the actions of Ukrainian units that repelled attacks by pro-Russian separatists and Russian mercenaries. He also ensured interaction with the local population, volunteers, media, representatives of the OSCE and other international organizations.
• In 2017, Zaluzhnyi Valerii Fedorovych was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the troops of the Operational Command “West”. He was responsible for planning, organizing and conducting exercises, maneuvers, joint operations with partners from NATO and other countries. He was also involved in the preparation and dispatch of Ukrainian military contingents to participate in peacekeeping missions.

• • In 2018, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi was appointed Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – First Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces. He headed the main command and control body of the military operations in eastern Ukraine, where the Joint Forces Operation was launched instead of the ATO. He coordinated the actions of all law enforcement agencies involved in countering Russian aggression, ensured interaction with local authorities, the public, the media, and international organizations. He was also involved in the development and implementation of measures to strengthen defense capabilities, stabilize the situation, and restore peaceful life in the temporarily occupied territories.
  • In 2019, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi was appointed Commander of the troops of the Operational Command “North”. He headed one of the largest and most powerful operational commands of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which includes the 8th, 13th, 30th, 58th separate mechanized brigades, the 1st separate tank brigade, the 11th separate artillery brigade, the 16th separate army aviation brigade, the 169th training center, the 112th electronic warfare center and other units. He was responsible for the training, maintenance, and use of troops in northern Ukraine, particularly on the border with Belarus and Russia. He also ensured the participation of troops in exercises, maneuvers, and joint operations with partners from NATO and other countries.
  • In 2021, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He heads the highest command and control body of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is responsible for planning, organizing and conducting military operations, protecting national interests, ensuring national security and defense of Ukraine.He is also engaged in reforming and modernizing the Armed Forces, increasing their combat readiness, ensuring their compatibility with NATO, introducing new technologies, weapons and equipment.He is a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, which determines the main directions of state policy in the field of national security and defense.

Conclusion

Valerii Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi is an outstanding, talented, courageous and influential personality who has made a significant contribution to the development of Ukraine. He has come a long and glorious way from a simple soldier to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, devotedly serving his country and protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He has received numerous awards and recognitions from the Ukrainian people and the international community. He is a recipient of the Order of the Cross of the Knight, the Order of St. George the Victorious, the Order of Merit, the Order of Courage, the Order of Military Service to the Motherland, and the Order of Merit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is one of the key figures in ensuring Ukraine’s defense and security in the context of the hybrid war with Russia. He is the head of the highest command and control body of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is responsible for planning, organizing and conducting military operations, protecting national interests, ensuring national security and defense of Ukraine. He is also responsible for reforming and modernizing the Armed Forces, increasing their combat readiness, ensuring their compatibility with NATO, and introducing new technologies, weapons and equipment. He is a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, which determines the main directions of state policy in the field of national security and defense. He is also Ukraine’s representative in international military organizations and structures, including the NATO Military Committee.

We hope that our article on the biography of Valeriy Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi was useful and educational for you. We would like to thank you for your attention and interest in the life and work of one of the most prominent personalities in modern Ukraine. We end this article with a positive and encouraging tone, hoping that you have found it inspiring and a role model.

Let us add a few quotes by Valeriy Zaluzhnyi that reflect his views on life:

• “The military is not just a profession, it is a vocation. This is a person who is ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of his country, his family, and his comrades. This is a person who has high morals, honor, dignity, responsibility, courage, bravery, and loyalty. This is a person who loves his homeland and defends it from enemies.”
• “We are not looking for war, we are looking for peace. But we will not allow anyone to violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will not allow anyone to take away our freedom and independence. We will not surrender to anyone without a fight. We will fight for our country, for our rights, for our dignity, for our future. We are Ukrainians, and we are winners.”
• “We cannot rest on our laurels, we must move forward. We must develop our Armed Forces, increase their combat readiness, provide them with modern weapons and equipment, introduce new technologies, and support their morale. We must cooperate with our partners from NATO and other countries, strengthen our defense capabilities, and maintain our security. We must be prepared for any challenges and threats that may arise in the future. We must be strong, united, invincible”.