In January 2022, as American warnings about a Russian invasion grew more urgent, Ukraine's army commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi moved from his ground-floor apartment into official quarters inside the general staff compound. He needed to work longer hours - and he needed security.
According to an investigation by The Guardian, as reported by "Hvylya", Zaluzhnyi was pushing hard for the introduction of martial law, which would have allowed him to reposition troops and draft battle plans. But President Zelensky, worried about triggering public panic, refused.
Without official sanction, Zaluzhnyi did what he could. In February, tabletop exercises were held among the army's top commanders, modeling various invasion scenarios - including an attack on Kyiv and an even worse situation in which Russia seized a corridor along Ukraine's western border to cut off allied supplies.
"Martial law should have been introduced in January, or in February at the latest," Zaluzhnyi said. The inability to prepare properly, he added, cost Ukraine dearly at the start of the invasion.
On the final evening before the attack, Zaluzhnyi and his generals took unauthorized measures: mines were laid on the Black Sea floor against a potential amphibious landing in Odesa, and some units were moved to more advantageous positions. "All of this was totally forbidden. If the invasion hadn't happened, there would have been a chance of prosecution against us," said one general. "But most commanders accepted we had no choice." Nearly four years later, Zelensky may face elections in which the clash with Zaluzhnyi could resurface, while the mounting Russian casualties have vindicated those who pushed for early preparation.
