PORTRAIT – Described as close to his men, Valeri Zaloujny orchestrated the defense of kyiv, then the victories of Kharkiv, Lyman and Kherson.
War should have no heroes. As if to present the people in arms, the sole savior of the country. “A communication strategy that allows group cohesion», emphasizes Yohann Michel, research analyst at theInternational Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). And then, Valeri Zaloujny, 49, son of a soldier, slightly chubby round head, steel blue eyes, is not the type to put himself forward. However, his function as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces leads him to coordinate all operations. The Russian defeat in kyiv at the start of the invasion is largely attributed to him, as well as the victorious counter-offensive in Kharkiv (north-east) and the advance towards Kherson (south).
But, unlike the Russian army, its subordinates enjoy considerable autonomy. “Zalouzhny coordinates and allows officers commanding theaters of operations a certain flexibility“, adds Yohann Michel. This method, which differs from Soviet teaching, is drawn both from…
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