Thread by @rshereme

10 lessons from Ukraine’s fight for existence.

Ukraine’s former Commander-in-Chief, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has reflected on what this war has taught Ukrainians — and the world.

1/n

We are the state. On February 24, 2022, Ukraine survived because ordinary people refused to give up. Not institutions, not abstractions — people. Security always comes at a cost, and society must be ready to pay it. /2

The enemy is never as great as propaganda claims. Power is not measured in tanks or missiles, but in spirit — the will to resist, even against overwhelming force. /3

A neighbor who refuses to help in crisis becomes part of your crisis. Friendship must be mutual. And from those who will not be friends — you must know how to defend yourself. /4

Defeat on the battlefield leads to attacks elsewhere. If the enemy cannot break you in open war, they will try in your rear, through sabotage, terror, and pressure on your allies. /5

There are no miracles in war. Only laws — some as old as history, some newly forged. To ignore them is to invite defeat. To learn them may demand a terrible price. /6

Victory can be lonely. Allies do not always want you to win outright; sometimes your triumph is inconvenient to their interests. Weapons that bring no benefit to others are rarely given. /7

People are the most precious resource. Soldiers are not only lost physically but can be broken mentally. The enemy works to destroy both body and spirit. Protecting people is protecting victory. /8

Not every victory is for now. Some gains must be immediate, others long-term. Strategy is choosing which is which. /9

Allies do not always see what you see. Even the obvious can take time for others to grasp. Leadership means making the truth clear — again and again — until it becomes undeniable. /10

Every day of war is either a lesson or death. Better to learn in peace. But if peace fails, only those who learn quickly will survive. /11