Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ukraine (APU) Valery Zaluzhny may become involved in a criminal case due to the loss of parts of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions last year. On the threat of criminal prosecution of the commander in chief reports Ukrainian BBC service with reference to sources.

It is noted that the investigation into the case, nicknamed the “Zaluzhny case,” has been going on for a year and a half, and the commander-in-chief himself was allegedly summoned for questioning. Official sources do not confirm this information. At the moment, Zaluzhny does not have any official status in the case, but the media do not exclude the possibility that he may appear in the future.

According to the BBC, interrogations of representatives of the military command and civilian authorities are already underway as part of the case.

We know there is such a thing, the military is involved. We need to find out why the bridges were not blown up. (…) There is a charter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the military had to act according to this charter

Reaction from Zelensky’s office

However, the official Kyiv denies Zaluzhny’s involvement in any criminal case. Advisor to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky Sergey Leshchenko denied the rumors.

According to him, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine does not have the status of a witness in any case, much less a suspect or accused.

This is a total fiction. Zaluzhny was not questioned as a witness

Sergey Leshchenko

At the same time, Leshchenko noted that in Ukraine there are no criminal cases against individuals; instead, proceedings are launched “in which individuals appear as witnesses, suspects or accused.”

Conflict in the context of elections?

Earlier, in a conversation with Lenta.ru, political scientist Dmitry Zhuravlev statedthat in the event of presidential elections in Ukraine in 2024, in addition to Vladimir Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny could also win.

The political scientist noted that it is extremely difficult to talk about alternative candidates for the presidential post, especially about political candidates: during the military conflict, the political elite virtually disappeared, giving way to the military. Of these, the most popular, according to Zhuravlev, is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It is the military, not the politicians, who can come to power. In principle, the military situation even psychologically justifies this possibility.

Dmitry Zhuravlev