Zaluzhnyi vs Zelenskyy: Ukraine Rift, Raid & Future Election Challenge
LONDON — Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, publicly detailed a deepening rift with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alleging a raid on his office by Ukraine’s security service in September 2022. The revelation, made in an interview with the Associated Press, signals a potential challenge to Zelenskyy’s leadership as Ukraine approaches the fourth year of its war with Russia.
Zaluzhnyi, who was dismissed as army chief in February 2024, described rising tensions with Zelenskyy shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, stemming from disagreements over military strategy. He recounted that on the evening of September 16, 2022, while Ukraine was experiencing success in a counteroffensive in the northeast, dozens of agents from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrived at his office in Kyiv.
According to Zaluzhnyi, the agents offered no explanation for the search, which occurred while over a dozen British officers were present. He stated he prevented them from accessing documents and computers, viewing the incident as an act of intimidation. Zaluzhnyi claims he immediately contacted Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, warning he was prepared to deploy military reinforcements to defend the command center. “I told Yermak that I would repel this attack, because I know how to fight,” Zaluzhnyi told the AP.
The SBU acknowledged that a search warrant had been issued for an address matching Zaluzhnyi’s office location two days prior, but claimed it was part of an investigation into organized crime unrelated to the former general. The agency stated the warrant targeted a strip club that had been closed since before the full-scale invasion. However, employees at the club’s new location confirmed to the AP that the original location had indeed been shuttered prior to February 2022. The SBU maintains no search was conducted at Zaluzhnyi’s office, asserting the address was mistakenly identified as a “covert backup command post.” Zaluzhnyi disputes this explanation, believing the warrant was a pretext.
The reported incident occurred during a period of significant battlefield momentum for Ukraine, following the successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. Zaluzhnyi also described disagreements with Zelenskyy over the planning and execution of the 2023 counteroffensive, which ultimately failed to achieve its objectives. He asserted that his original plan, developed with NATO partners, called for concentrating forces to break through Russian defenses in Zaporizhzhia and sever the land bridge to Crimea. He alleges Zelenskyy and other officials dispersed forces across a wider area, diminishing their effectiveness. Two Western defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, corroborated Zaluzhnyi’s account of the diverging plans.
Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal in February 2024 was widely interpreted as an attempt by Zelenskyy to limit the potential threat posed by his popular former commander. Recent polling data indicates Zaluzhnyi remains a strong contender in a hypothetical presidential election, receiving 23% support compared to Zelenskyy’s 20%, according to an Ipsos poll published last month. Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko noted that support for Zaluzhnyi represents not only backing for the former general but also discontent with Zelenskyy’s performance.
Zaluzhnyi has refrained from discussing his political ambitions, citing the need to maintain national unity during the war. He acknowledged receiving approaches from political consultants, including Paul Manafort, who previously served as campaign chairman for Donald Trump, but stated he declined their offers. Zaluzhnyi continues to monitor the battlefield from his office at the Ukrainian Embassy in London, though he says he has not been involved in military decision-making since his removal as army chief.
The U.S. Continues to press both Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a peace deal, with Zelenskyy reportedly agreeing in principle to a plan proposed by President Trump that includes elections after the war and security guarantees. The revelation of the rift between Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi, however, threatens to further polarize public opinion in Ukraine as Russian forces continue to make incremental gains in the east.