Zaluzhnyi proposed an attack on Belgorod in 2022, but it was not supported

Nazarov said that Zaluzhnyi had first proposed an offensive deep into Russian territory in 2022. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi proposed a plan for an offensive against the Belgorod region (Russia) back in 2022, which was allegedly implemented in 2024 in Kursk region (Russia).

This was stated by Major General Viktor Nazarov, an adviser to the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with «BBC Ukraine».

According to Viktor Nazarov, the former Commander-in-Chief put forward the idea of an offensive on the Belgorod region during a meeting of the National Security and Defence Council.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi allegedly announced a plan according to which it was necessary to stabilise the front line in Donbas first, without taking active offensive actions there. Then, to conduct operations to destroy facilities in Crimea and operations deep inside Russia, in particular to destroy energy facilities.

«The next stage, according to Zaluzhnyi's plan, would be to move the fighting to the enemy's territory, namely to the junction of Kursk and Belgorod regions. It was also allegedly proposed to surround or block Belgorod in order to deprive the Russians of the possibility of striking Kharkiv and create a threat to supplies for the Russian group in Donbas», he said.

As a reminder, in February 2024, Valerii Zaluzhnyi was dismissed from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Commander-in-Chief, thanked him for two years of defending Ukraine and offered «to continue to be part of the Ukrainian state's team».

Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi was appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Later, Valerii Zaluzhnyi was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.