The Economist featured a new Oped penned by none other than Valery Zaluzhny—Commander-in-Chief of the AFU—himself. He makes some very interesting observations, not to mention one or two startling admissions, regarding the war. The main slant of the article is diagnostic; it’s an attempt to find meaningful ways to reorient the AFU towards a winning direction, with the implied admission that this is
"It presents a rare opportunity for us to get directly into the gears of the mastermind himself, rather than second and third hand info about what Ukraine’s high command may or may not be thinking."
This assumes 1. that Zaluzhnyii is being candid with the author and 2. that no editing has taken place.
Whole thing seems to be a sales pitch. Give me more money and stuff and money and this time, we got it, but we need more money and stuff for a long time so keep it hot and keep it coming!
Well I don't know anything about the military. But I've been around the corporate world long enough to know that the CEO essentially never writes the things his name is put on. I guess it's obvious. but Zaluzhny at most reviewed this piece, if that. He didn't actually write a word. It was written by some team of mil nerds, probably in the U.S. military for that matter. They specialize in disinfo. And that would also explain some of the wilder statements. Maybe they used ChatGPT to help them!
"See we told you they could do it, if only they had the ammo, the 3th generation aircraft, the british navy, and another million poor sods to slaughter.", the west repeats the mantra. The UA was never to win only RU was to lose. Problem is all the sanctions, all the threats of regime change, all the PR about the russian population going into revolt has turned out to be pure hollywood BS.
Zalushny is only one step away from facing war crime charges for his slaughter of his own people and those of the breakaway republics.
We'll be hearing from that penis piano player next that it is the the west's fault they are losing. In fact we are already hearing it.
How many ukie politicos have been stopped at the ukie borders while trying to get out? It's in the thousands. How many have already done it?
It's been a clown show orchestrated by the neoh-con, neoh-nahtzis will the full approval and guidance of the cookie lady and her crew. The same crew that are now going to orchestrate the fall of Israel.
I'm not military, so all I can tell it's that I wouldn't wish to be this guy.
If he has a conscience, he will be hauted till death from the ghosts of all the people he ordered to go and die... uselessly.
If not... he doesn't deserve any pity, he seems to have spent too much time playing with the mighty Tesla tanks from Command and Conquer... he needs them.
Like Stephan Bandera, he wants to borrow someone else's army. The 3rd Reich for Bandera, and the Russian Army for Zaluzhny. Bandera may have been the most criminal of bastards but at least he was a realist; Zaluzhny is going to be the label they'll be putting on the strongest microdot acid papers in the future.
What Ukraine really needs to get back on track and achieve an overwhelming stalemate / frozen conflict is… the Child Catcher and his Lollipop Wagon; (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Strategy). Mass mobilization of entire population for the frontlines is necessary now and Ukrainian children make great fighters. The added advantage here is they can re-design / re-purpose the Child Catcher’s net to be attached to drone-intercept units to net-catch Lancet drones etc. This will rapidly put AFU on course for victory over the beleaguered Russian forces, who are in reality down to their last few rounds of ammo and totally demoralized. /s
I'm not sure that Zaluzhny even wrote this piece. After all, he seems to be their only capable military commander and is apparently widely respected.
The article's delusional and almost infantile understanding of the military reality on the ground in Ukraine, is inconsistent with what we have learned about him.
The main reason why is that contempt for Soviet/Russian capabilities was not a feature of either book. Instead, both somehow projected a NATO victory in Europe, though I thought both books were rather optimistic. Also, the weapons in use are not that much different.
For that matter, Mellenthin's Panzer Battles would correct a lot of errors about Soviet warmaking. While being biased as hell and contemptuous of Russians in general, he realized he had been beaten along with the Nazis as a whole.
I'd guess that very few of today's opiners in the West have sampled any of this.
as far as drones with nets i assume this is a mavic dropping a net on another mavic, to foul one or more propellers, which is something i have been expecting to see from the beginning
Zelensky has snorted too much cocaine and it's addled his already cognitive impaired cerebral matter. His mental meanderings will only impress the stupid.
I remember rumours in 2022 of Zaluzhny being an unrepentant womaniser who diverted taxpayer money for the comfort of his girlfriends, ie chaffeurs, expensive holidays abroad etc but it's been more than a year now these rumours 've been completely hushed up
Face saving is the immediate need. Need more weapons, need more of everything, as usual always need more and better 'Wunderwaffe' to turn the corner.
For the US and the West the face saving results in blaming Zelensky. We have given him so much but he does not take our advise. Talk of a stalemate is funny while the Russians are pummeling them all over.
The picture of Zelensky snorting coke is priceless and great way to illustrate the end of the article as well as the end of his dictatorship.
"It presents a rare opportunity for us to get directly into the gears of the mastermind himself, rather than second and third hand info about what Ukraine’s high command may or may not be thinking."
This assumes 1. that Zaluzhnyii is being candid with the author and 2. that no editing has taken place.
Whole thing seems to be a sales pitch. Give me more money and stuff and money and this time, we got it, but we need more money and stuff for a long time so keep it hot and keep it coming!
Well I don't know anything about the military. But I've been around the corporate world long enough to know that the CEO essentially never writes the things his name is put on. I guess it's obvious. but Zaluzhny at most reviewed this piece, if that. He didn't actually write a word. It was written by some team of mil nerds, probably in the U.S. military for that matter. They specialize in disinfo. And that would also explain some of the wilder statements. Maybe they used ChatGPT to help them!
Great piece of analysis.
Unfortunately zalushny is delusional.
It's save your aśś time in the UA.
The western press needs an off ramp.
Zalushny has provided one for the Economist.
"See we told you they could do it, if only they had the ammo, the 3th generation aircraft, the british navy, and another million poor sods to slaughter.", the west repeats the mantra. The UA was never to win only RU was to lose. Problem is all the sanctions, all the threats of regime change, all the PR about the russian population going into revolt has turned out to be pure hollywood BS.
Zalushny is only one step away from facing war crime charges for his slaughter of his own people and those of the breakaway republics.
We'll be hearing from that penis piano player next that it is the the west's fault they are losing. In fact we are already hearing it.
How many ukie politicos have been stopped at the ukie borders while trying to get out? It's in the thousands. How many have already done it?
It's been a clown show orchestrated by the neoh-con, neoh-nahtzis will the full approval and guidance of the cookie lady and her crew. The same crew that are now going to orchestrate the fall of Israel.
...and the beat goes on.
He hasn't written it for Gerasimov his "tutor".
He has written it to appear still in place, doing his job and sounding realistic but competent and positive.
He has written it to make sure he stays in place when Zelensky gets moved on. Maybe even get Zelensky's cash flow / job.
Zaluzhny speaks poorly enough and has no time for it. Im sure he didnt write this nonsense.
I'm not military, so all I can tell it's that I wouldn't wish to be this guy.
If he has a conscience, he will be hauted till death from the ghosts of all the people he ordered to go and die... uselessly.
If not... he doesn't deserve any pity, he seems to have spent too much time playing with the mighty Tesla tanks from Command and Conquer... he needs them.
Sadly, this is real and not a game.
Like Stephan Bandera, he wants to borrow someone else's army. The 3rd Reich for Bandera, and the Russian Army for Zaluzhny. Bandera may have been the most criminal of bastards but at least he was a realist; Zaluzhny is going to be the label they'll be putting on the strongest microdot acid papers in the future.
What Ukraine really needs to get back on track and achieve an overwhelming stalemate / frozen conflict is… the Child Catcher and his Lollipop Wagon; (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Strategy). Mass mobilization of entire population for the frontlines is necessary now and Ukrainian children make great fighters. The added advantage here is they can re-design / re-purpose the Child Catcher’s net to be attached to drone-intercept units to net-catch Lancet drones etc. This will rapidly put AFU on course for victory over the beleaguered Russian forces, who are in reality down to their last few rounds of ammo and totally demoralized. /s
Very interesting analysis, thank you Simplicius.
I'm not sure that Zaluzhny even wrote this piece. After all, he seems to be their only capable military commander and is apparently widely respected.
The article's delusional and almost infantile understanding of the military reality on the ground in Ukraine, is inconsistent with what we have learned about him.
There were a couple 1980s books, both technically novels, that probably deserve a reread.
https://www.amazon.com/Third-World-John-Winthrop-Hackett/dp/0025471600
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Storm-Rising-Suspense-Thriller-ebook/dp/B001QEAQQC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699039012&sr=1-1
The main reason why is that contempt for Soviet/Russian capabilities was not a feature of either book. Instead, both somehow projected a NATO victory in Europe, though I thought both books were rather optimistic. Also, the weapons in use are not that much different.
For that matter, Mellenthin's Panzer Battles would correct a lot of errors about Soviet warmaking. While being biased as hell and contemptuous of Russians in general, he realized he had been beaten along with the Nazis as a whole.
I'd guess that very few of today's opiners in the West have sampled any of this.
as far as drones with nets i assume this is a mavic dropping a net on another mavic, to foul one or more propellers, which is something i have been expecting to see from the beginning
The dear General has one simple request:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84ELb_Zms4
Zelensky has snorted too much cocaine and it's addled his already cognitive impaired cerebral matter. His mental meanderings will only impress the stupid.
I remember rumours in 2022 of Zaluzhny being an unrepentant womaniser who diverted taxpayer money for the comfort of his girlfriends, ie chaffeurs, expensive holidays abroad etc but it's been more than a year now these rumours 've been completely hushed up
Face saving is the immediate need. Need more weapons, need more of everything, as usual always need more and better 'Wunderwaffe' to turn the corner.
For the US and the West the face saving results in blaming Zelensky. We have given him so much but he does not take our advise. Talk of a stalemate is funny while the Russians are pummeling them all over.
The picture of Zelensky snorting coke is priceless and great way to illustrate the end of the article as well as the end of his dictatorship.