World War III Has Already Begun, Says Ambassador and Former Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, stated that the direct involvement of Russia’s autocratic allies in the war against Ukraine marks the beginning of World War III.

He made this statement on November 21 during the annual "UP 100" awards ceremony hosted by Ukrainska Pravda.

“I believe that in 2024, we can definitively say that World War III has begun. This is because in 2024, Ukraine is no longer facing just Russia. We are facing soldiers from North Korea—let’s be honest about this. In Ukraine, Iranian Shahed drones are openly and unashamedly killing civilians. North Korean-made missiles are already being launched at Ukraine, and they openly admit to this. Chinese shells are exploding in Ukraine, and Chinese components are being used in Russian missiles,” Zaluzhnyi said.

According to Zaluzhnyi, most military personnel would agree that all the mentioned factors provide grounds to say that a world war has begun and the world must prepare for it.

“What the world has long feared has already begun. But I want to say that God is giving a chance not only to Ukraine but to the entire world to draw the right conclusions now. It is still possible to stop this here, on Ukrainian territory. But for some reason, our partners fail to understand this,” he emphasized.

Zaluzhnyi added that Ukraine is already facing “too many enemies,” and while technology will help the country survive, it is uncertain whether Ukraine can achieve victory on its own.

“That’s why I believe the world war has begun. Welcome to it,” Zaluzhnyi said.

Previously, Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21, making Ukraine the first country in the world against which an ICBM  was used in combat.