Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Valerii Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi (Ukrainian: Валерій Федорович Залужний; born 8 July 1973) is a Ukrainian four-star general and diplomat who is currently serving as Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 27 July 2021 until 8 February 2024. He was also concurrently a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Zaluzhnyi was previously the Commander of the North Operational Command (2019–2021), Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – First Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces (2018), Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the West Operational Command (2017), and Commander of the 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (2009–2012).

Zaluzhnyi was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022. He has received praise for his skill at "adapting to a fast-changing battlefield" through effective delegation and information gathering during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief on 8 February 2024 amid increasing tension between him and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zaluzhnyi was appointed the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom in March 2024, and was additionally named Ukraine's permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization in March 2025. Zaluzhnyi has been cited as a potential candidate for the next Ukrainian presidential election and ranked in polls among leading candidates.