Valery Zaluzhny, former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s military, has declared that World War III is already underway, citing the direct involvement of Russia’s allies as evidence of the conflict’s global escalation.
“I absolutely believe that in 2024 we can say the Third World War has begun,” Zaluzhny remarked during the Ukrainska Pravda’s UP100 award ceremony.
Now serving as Ukraine’s envoy to the United Kingdom, Zaluzhny highlighted the participation of North Korean troops and the use of Chinese weapons and Iranian drones as signs of the war’s widening scope. “North Korean soldiers are facing Ukraine. Iranian ‘Shahedi’ drones are openly killing civilians without any shame,” he said.
Zaluzhny called on Ukraine’s allies to act decisively to contain the conflict. “It is still possible to stop it here, on Ukrainian soil. But for some reason, our partners fail to grasp this. Ukraine already faces too many enemies,” he cautioned.
His comments follow reports of Russia deploying over 10,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region and utilizing advanced weaponry, including Iranian drones, in attacks against Ukraine.
Zaluzhny also underscored the challenges Ukraine faces, stating, “Ukraine will survive with technology, but it’s unclear if we can win this battle alone.”
The speech coincided with Russia’s use of a hypersonic ballistic missile in Dnipro, an attack condemned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a severe escalation in the war’s brutality.
Once celebrated for halting Russia’s initial invasion in February 2022, Zaluzhny was dismissed earlier this year amid tensions with President Zelensky. His successor, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, reportedly shares closer alignment with Zelensky’s strategies.
The unfolding developments highlight the growing complexity and internationalization of the conflict in Ukraine.
Source: NDTV
