Zaluzhnyi believes Europe not ready for prolonged war against Russia
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, believes that European countries are not ready for a protracted war with Russia.
He shared this perspective in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, as reported by Ukrinform.
"If we are talking about short-term military actions, European countries are likely prepared. But the essence of the question was whether they are ready for a war of attrition. Let’s just calculate. In October, Ukraine was struck by approximately 1,643 Shahed drones and around 200 missiles targeting its civilian energy infrastructure. The trend is that these numbers will increase. Only this month (November 2024), if we count the number of Shaheds and missiles targeting civilian infrastructure, it will approach 3,000 — and the month isn’t even over," Zaluzhnyi noted.
According to him, the number of aerial threats is growing, while the means to counter them are limited and extremely costly.
"Even based on this indicator, I believe neither Britain nor European countries are ready (for potential military actions against Russia). Despite having a sufficient number of F-16 aircraft with excellent air defense capabilities, within 2–3 months, they could completely deplete their air defense systems," the ambassador argued.
Zaluzhnyi also highlighted that "in October and September, the frontlines faced around 4,500 guided aerial bombs." He emphasized that these bombs carry warheads weighing 500 kilograms, compared to the 480-kilogram warheads of Iskander missiles.
"Do European countries or Britain have at least 5,000 missiles for Patriot systems to intercept guided bombs? I doubt it. They are very expensive, and as a result, it’s impossible to stockpile large quantities because production is challenging. Thus, from this military perspective, one could say they are probably not ready (for a prolonged war with Russia)," he opined.
Zaluzhnyi also noted that beyond military actions, Russia employs information and psychological operations in its strategy of attrition.
"Europe exists in a comfortable environment and is reluctant to exit it. In my personal opinion, if they are prepared for such a war of attrition, it is only with significant limitations," he remarked.
At the same time, Zaluzhnyi stated that he currently sees no adversary capable of sustaining large-scale military actions over an extended period.
"I even doubt that China is ready for large-scale operations at this time," he added.
As reported by Ukrinform, Zaluzhnyi has previously stated that the direct involvement of Russia’s autocratic allies in the war against Ukraine signifies the beginning of World War III.