Ukraine’s army chief Zaluzhnyi visited southern frontline commanders “to increase effectiveness given the available resources”

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, and Chief of the General Staff, General Serhiy Shaptala, worked for several days in the areas of responsibility of the operational-strategic groups of the "Tavria" and "Odesa" troops. The "Odesa" operational-strategic group of troops is responsible for protecting Ukraine's key port city of Odesa and operations in the Black Sea against the Russian fleet, ensuring the safety of the Ukrainian shipping corridor. The "Tavria" operational-strategic group of troops is responsible for the southern section of the frontline in Ukraine's Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and partially Donetsk Oblast. Zaluzhnyi and Shaptala "worked for several days in the areas of responsibility of the operational-strategic groups of the "Tavria" and "Odesa" troops," according to the press release. This indicates a lengthy visit of Ukraine's army chief Zaluzhnyi to the frontline. Zaluzhnyi rarely makes public statements or shows details of his work.

The report says that Zaluzhnyi and Shaptala "worked with commanders of directions and commanders of brigades." They agreed on steps "to increase the effectiveness of the use of troops, taking into account the available resources and the operational situation." Commanders paid particular attention to the situation in the Black Sea area and also worked with the commander of the Naval Forces. The previous time Zaluzhnyi made public statements was on 26 December 2023, when he gave his first-ever extended press conference, addressing the issue of mobilization. He said that Ukraine's armed forces need additional troops considering the ongoing mobilization of troops in Russia, the protracted war, which requires sufficient reserves to conduct regular rotations of troops, and Ukraine's plan to create new units. He didn't provide details on the number of troops needed, saying this is a military secret.

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In his article for The Economist in November 2023, Zaluzhnyi indicated the top five issues that need to be solved so that Ukraine can achieve a breakthrough on the frontline.

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