Zaluzhnyi: I need people, ammunition, weapons to continue fighting

On December 26, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, gave his first press conference since the start of the full-scale invasion, which lasted 30 minutes. Zaluzhnyi summarized the results of the second year of the Great War, talked about Russia's losses, gave a forecast for the next year, and commented on the bill submitted by the government to the Verkhovna Rada on new rules for mobilization.

Ukrinform has collected the main points from the press conference of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On mobilization

Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that together with the Ministry of Defense, they agreed that the new draft law on mobilization should provide for service in the army for 36 months after conscription.

"I clearly understand and know that our soldiers are at the front in extremely difficult and challenging conditions doing their job, thanks to which we can talk to you calmly. It is very, very difficult for them. And I would like people who are going to join the army to clearly understand how long they have to fight. Together with the Ministry of Defense, we agreed to the figure of 36 months, hoping for two things: first, that there would be no escalation at the front; second, that there would be someone to replace these people in 36 months."

"36 months is not a realistic figure in the conditions we are in. But we can only hope that the intensity of hostilities will not increase and we will be able to replace these people in 36 months... 36 months will be enough time to prepare human resources for replacement," added Zaluzhnyi.

He also noted that the government, which is implementing the relevant law, understands the country's capabilities. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine believes that there will be enough time until 2025 to prepare those who will be mobilized now.

On how many people should be mobilized

"I would not discuss such figures [500,000]. The only thing I want to confirm is that this figure is being formed, taking into account, among other things, the tasks that will be performed next year. This does not mean that this figure will be set tomorrow, it will take a certain period of time."

The military command is constantly formulating its requests for ammunition, weapons and human resources, but has not submitted a request for a specific number of mobilized people.

"The military command has not made any request for any numbers [regarding mobilization] The military command continues to perform the functions of protecting the state, and forms its requests accordingly. Requests for ammunition, weapons and human resources. This is done on an ongoing basis," Zaluzhnyi said.

The General Staff works within the limits of its authority, in accordance with the functionality it is vested with. "As for this figure, we have formed this figure, we have formed it accordingly for the next year. It takes into account the coverage of the current manning that has arisen, the formation of new military units, as well as the forecasting of our losses that we may suffer over the next year," he emphasized.

Zaluzhnyi noted that "I cannot disclose the figures related to this or that section of these indicators, as it is a military secret." As for the relevant legislative initiatives, the General Staff has not submitted any documents or draft laws to the Cabinet of Ministers. Instead, experts from the Armed Forces of Ukraine worked together with representatives of the Ministry of Defense in working groups to "ensure that the mechanism used in military command and control of direct combat operations is not violated, and that certain issues that could interfere with the activities of the military command are not adopted at the legislative level," the Commander-in-Chief emphasized. The Ministry of Defense then likely submitted these legislative initiatives directly to the Cabinet of Ministers.

About the "limitedly fit"

General Zaluzhnyi believes that the legislation should retain the concepts of a person who is fit for military service and a person who is unfit for military service.

"We need to get rid of the concept of limited fitness. And, accordingly, when we answer these questions - fit or unfit, respectively, we will understand whether it makes sense for us to continue to operate with such concepts as a group 2 or group 3 disabled person," said Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

He noted that he respects people in the civilian environment and is interested in ensuring that those who join the Armed Forces of Ukraine are able to perform their tasks. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine, and I personally, are interested in people joining the army and being able to perform their tasks. I believe that it is not my responsibility to decide who will have a deferment or not, who will be drafted by the state. There are central executive authorities that can determine this. I need people, I need ammunition, I need weapons to continue fighting."

On training of personnel

Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that Ukraine currently has the capability to train up to 10 brigades of personnel at training grounds. He is convinced that the military, who will continue to perform combat missions, must be prepared.

"It is impossible for a person to be completely unprepared when they go to the frontline. We use both our capabilities and the capabilities provided by our partners. They pay great attention to this. That is, our possibilities in this regard are unlimited. Today, we can train up to 10 brigades of personnel at training grounds. And we certainly use this method."

About conscripts

Answering a question about conscripts, the Chief of Staff noted that they will be discharged soon.

"Until recently, as of summer, we were not ready to discharge conscripts. But somewhere in the end, we appealed to the Ministry of Defense with a proposal to discharge conscripts from military service. As of today, they are not needed. And our clear position is to dismiss them."

On electronic summonses

Valerii Zaluzhnyi is happy with any method of mobilization that will provide the army with new recruits. According to the Commander-in-Chief, the proposal for electronic summonses was made neither by the General Staff nor by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which do not even have the capacity to "assess the possibility of solving [this issue] in this way."

"We are happy with any way that will meet our need for people. If we get them as a result of electronic subpoenas, it will be very good. If it is done in some other way, it is also very good. But, again, I will say that the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the General Staff directly... in these matters, we are more in the role of consumers."

About the war in 2024

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says that next year will be different from 2023 due to changes in warfare technologies.

"The year 2024 will not simply differ but must differ from 2023. Otherwise, we will face exactly what I described in the article [for The Economist]. Accordingly, we have identified these problems and found 90% of solutions to the issues that need to be resolved to act more effectively next year and, most importantly, to save more people. We are working on this. Our partners agreed with us and also showed interest in that regard. So, I can assure you that the next year will differ from 2023."

The Commander-in-Chief noted that he was forced to state that the enemy is keeping up with the Armed Forces of Ukraine . In recent days, a rather powerful confrontation with the use of various technologies has been going on.

About Marinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut

Ukrainian troops are still in the northern part of Marinka, but the town no longer exists.

"Our official position is that we protect every bit of our land, every bit of it, but if enemy shells start to dig this place together with stones, with soil and with our soldiers, then the lives of our soldiers are more important to us. Marinka has been holding on for almost two years, and it has been destroyed by the enemy, street by street and house by house. As of today, our forces are still in the northern part of the town and have prepared a defensive line near the settlement, but I can say that this settlement no longer exists."

In the battle for Marinka, the enemy is using the same methodology as in Bakhmut: "Street after street, block after block is being destroyed, our fighters are being buried."

"The fact that we have now moved to the outskirts of Marinka is not something that can cause a public outcry. This is the war. Sadly, it is like that," said Zaluzhnyi.

"The Ukrainian military will defend Avdiivka as long as they have the strength, but if they are not enough, it is important to save people."

"We value every piece of our land, whether it is Bakhmut or Avdiivka. We will defend it as long as we have the strength to do so. If this is not enough, it is better to save people. Of course, we will make such a decision and save people, and then recapture them. It will all depend on the situation, and there is no need to make a show of it," the Commander-in-Chief emphasized.

He urged not to focus on the fighting in Avdiivka, as "the enemy has the ability to concentrate its forces, including artillery and aircraft, in one direction or another, and they can make sure that in 2-3 months the city may end up like Bakhmut."

About rotations

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is against legislating the norm of rotation at the front every six months, as this would require at least doubling the number of soldiers.

"Working in the working group of the Ministry of Defense that developed these proposals, one of our tasks was to make sure that we did not disrupt the process of military command and control that exists on the ground with some legislative norms. That is why this 6-month rule is certainly very interesting, and we would like to see it. But again, our people are not in a competition or a tournament right now. This is not a show that the whole world is watching. The situation at the front depends on the enemy's actions. We cannot predict that it will be 6 months, 5 months, 3 months. The situation can be completely different. Again, if people suggest rotation in 6 months, they should understand that the combat kit of troops needs to be increased at least twofold. And how much will it cost to replace these people in combat positions in six months? And what if the situation changes? What if the enemy attacks from areas that are not under attack? What to do in such situations?" the Commander-in-Chief said.

He agrees with the thesis that people need to rest and demands that local commanders do everything necessary to carry out rotation within units, within military units.

"But to legislate that we will move in this way... Trust my 30 years of experience in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and almost 10 years of war experience - this is still, let's say, a deception that is unrealistic," Zaluzhnyi emphasized.

On Russia's plans for 2024 and experts' forecasts

The leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is doing everything to adequately respond to Russia's actions next year.

"We see what is going to happen - I don't want to say it now, because I don't want to be a little bit smart and then think about how to eliminate the consequences. But we are watching closely. Today we have enough intelligence agencies that are doing the relevant work. We can even compare certain data, compare data provided by our partners and our intelligence agencies. And we are doing everything to respond to this adequately," he emphasized.

The Commander-in-Chief also commented on the forecasts of Western experts regarding Russia's actions. "With all due respect to the expert community... some things I don't even want to read. They do not understand what is happening at all. And there is a very small percentage of experts with whom you can really agree," he said.

On the work of the TRCs

Valerii Zaluzhnyi is currently dissatisfied with the work of the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers, but the task of mobilizing servicemen will be fulfilled.

"As for the Territorial Recruitment Centers, as of today, let's say, to be honest, I am not satisfied with their work so far. And accordingly, if I were satisfied, we would not be discussing this draft law [on mobilization] here."

"In my 30 years of service, the only place I would not want to serve is in the TRC. It is necessary to have a certain set of knowledge, a set of skills and, most importantly, a set of abilities that allow the head of the TRC to fulfill his duties both outside the TRC and inside this body," the Commander-in-Chief noted.

At the same time, he believes that the TRC has not lost its capacity to recruit personnel.

"We have made sure that the key positions that are working on organizing this process in the TRC remain and continue their work. Therefore, I think we will cope with this task. As for the managers themselves, the work is ongoing and as of now we are already replacing some of the managers who came there, some resigned on their own, but again, this organization, as written in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine resolution, is a local-level management body, it is currently functioning, in my opinion, and will continue to fulfill its tasks."

On the losses of the Russian army

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine believes that Russian aggression can only be stopped by a steady increase in enemy losses, although so far the leadership of the aggressor country has not taken into account the number of killed and wounded Russian invaders in the war.

"Today it is difficult to predict how many more losses are needed to stop this. I believe that it is necessary to do this constantly, right up to the moment when the war is over, until the enemy gives up fighting against our country."

General Zaluzhnyi emphasized that the losses suffered by the aggressors in the war would have stopped any country, but not Russia.

"What is happening on the contact line - mountains of bodies, and no one is even trying to take them away. There are more and more of them every day. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of the Russian Federation to its own people," said Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

Ukrinform