This has been known by the soldiers since the beginning of the war – so why do many civilians, some politicians, and MPs still not know it? After all, they say, “We believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” don’t they? Well then – we must be in or with the AFU, and we will win! General Zaluzhnyi has published his “10 Lessons for Ukrainians.”
And this is not just a memoir or reflection. It is, essentially, an attempt to cast in stone the bitter, bloody experience of this war – to make it a national firmware. A vaccine against naivety for current and future generations, paid for at a horrific cost.
Here are the key theses from these lessons, summarized by Ihor Rudnyk, stripped of politeness and down to the core:
1. The enemy is eternal, and its goal is destruction.
The first and most important lesson: forget about “brotherly nations” and “shared history.” Russia’s goal for centuries — past, present, and future — has been the complete destruction of Ukraine as a phenomenon. This is not a war for territory; this is an existential war for survival. Any illusions about that are mortally dangerous.
2. No one will help you but yourself.
Allies are good. Their weapons, money, and intelligence are critically important. But no one will die for you. Help is given as long as it aligns with their own interests. The only real guarantee of sovereignty is a strong and modern army of your own.
3. Internal strife is the best gift to the enemy.
Any internal conflict — be it political infighting, corruption scandals, or witch hunts for “traitors” — is a direct stab in the back of your own army. As long as the nation isn’t united in its goal, the enemy will exploit every crack to divide it from within.
4. The whole country fights, not just the army.
The army is a cross-section of society. You can’t have a corrupt, apathetic society and a strong, motivated army. War is everyone’s business: from the volunteer weaving camouflage nets to the IT specialist powering the economy.
5. Technology decides everything.
The era of winning wars through sheer numbers is over. Today, victory goes to those with faster, smarter drones, better communications, more accurate intelligence, and more effective electronic warfare. Technological advantage means saved soldiers’ lives and won battles.
6. Asymmetry is the weapon of the smart.
Don’t try to play the horde’s game of “bury them in corpses.” Be smarter, sneakier, quicker. Hit their weak spots: logistics, oil refineries, headquarters, information infrastructure. Asymmetric strikes wear down the enemy and break their power at a lower cost.
7. Information is a battlefield.
Lose the war in people’s minds — and you’ll lose it on the ground. The enemy invades every phone and TV with propaganda, fake news, and PSYOP. Defending the information space is as important as air defense.
8. Trust is the foundation of command.
A modern army cannot be run by Soviet blueprints, where the general is a god and the soldier is disposable. Decentralization, initiative on the ground, trust in commanders – this is what enables speed and flexibility, impossible in the enemy’s rigid hierarchy.
9. Resilience is a strategic resource.
A nation’s ability to withstand blows, adapt, endure losses and fatigue, and keep fighting — this is as vital a resource as tanks or missiles.
10. Victory is not just peace.
And finally – victory is not just a ceasefire. It is the full restoration of sovereignty, the return of all territories, security guarantees (read: NATO), justice through the trial of war criminals, and reparations. Anything less is just a delayed defeat.
Ultimately, everything Zaluzhnyi says is a formula for national survival and formation, written in blood. And these lessons are not just for Ukrainians. They are a survival manual for any country unfortunate enough to have Russia as a neighbor.
Tags: Zaluzhnyi
