World War III has begun, West not prepared for it, says Ukraine’s former military commander

A third World War has started as Russia has involved its autocratic allies in the war against Ukraine, stated Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to Great Britain and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.

“I believe that in 2024, we can absolutely assume that World War III has begun,” he said.

Ukraine is being attacked by missiles of North Korean origin and Iranian drones, while Russian weapons contain Chinese components, the former four-star general said.

“The reason is that in 2024, Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Ukraine is facing soldiers from North Korea. Let’s be honest. Iranian-made Shaheds [loitering munitions] are killing civilians in Ukraine quite openly,” Zaluzhnyi said.

Thus, he said, the global community must prepare for the third world war that is unraveling. However, there is still time to stop it within Ukraine’s borders. Unfortunately, he noted, international partners have yet to fully grasp this reality.

“What we’ve expected for so long has started. But I want to say that God himself is giving a chance, not only to Ukraine but to the whole world, to have time to draw the correct conclusions now,” Zaluzhnyi added.

Russia is currently using a strategy of prolonged siege, which is aimed at “the attrition of Ukraine’s economic and moral conditions.”

Zaluzhnyi noted that Ukraine’s survival depends on technology, but it is uncertain whether the country can win the war alone. Major breakthroughs on the frontlines are not possible yet due to a technical and evolutionary process that is expected to conclude by 2027, he explained.

“When robots [drones] began to appear on the battlefield en masse, they made it impossible for soldiers to move. The inability to fight the robots led to a stupor. […] This situation is still the same,” Zaluzhnyi said.

Meanwhile, Zaluzhnyi believes European countries are unprepared for a long war with Russia. From Ukraine’s experience, the number of enemy air targets is increasing, while the means to combat them are limited and prohibitively expensive.

“Even by this number, I believe neither the UK nor European countries will be ready,” he said.

Despite the availability of F-16 aircraft in many European countries – aircraft with “excellent air defense capabilities,” – Zaluzhnyi noted that air defense systems could be depleted within two to three months.

“It is difficult to say whether they are engaged in alternative measures to learn how to deal with air targets. Most likely they’re not,” the general explained.

Regarding short-term military actions, Zaluzhnyi believes that European countries are prepared. 

“But the real question is whether they are ready for a war of attrition,” he concluded.