Video Purports to Show Zaluzhny Alive and Well Despite Russian Media Claims
Zaluzhny is seen as a potential challenger to President Volodymyr Zelensky because he is more respected by Russia.
A video emerged on social media that claimed to show Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, alive and well after reports emerged from Russia that he had suffered a serious head injury in a Russian missile strike earlier this month.
The video, which could not be independently verified, purports to show Zaluzhny in a conference room on 25 May.
“Huge thanks to all Ukrainians,” Zaluzhny said, according to one translation. “We will definately prevail together.”
Russian news outlets reported yesterday that he was badly injured in a missile strike and the prognosis is he will survive, but will not be able to do his job.
Sputnik, a Russian state-owned news agency, based its report on a representative of Russian law enforcement who cited Ukraine military sources. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email from The Trends Journal.
The Russian source told the outlet that first aid was provided to Zaluzhny in Nikolayev to stop the bleeding. He was rushed to a hospital and had a cranial trepanation, a procedure where a surgeon removes a piece of the skull to access the brain in order to treat conditions such as brain lesions and brain tumors, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Oleksii Danilov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, called Russia’s report on the injury a propaganda campaign.
Indeed, Zaluzhny is a highly admired figure in Ukraine and was seen as a potential challenger to President Volodymyr Zelensky because he is more respected by Russia’s military.