"He was preparing all his life": Ukraine's Defence Minister describes atmosphere in Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief office during first hours of Russian invasion

After it became known that Russia had launched its full-scale offensive against Ukraine on 24 February, everyone in the Ministry of Defence was on full alert.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda podcast

Details: Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that on the morning of 24 February, he arrived at the Defence Ministry, where everyone was already on full combat alert. According to him, even his office had turned into a combat position.

Quote from Reznikov: "When you entered the building of the Ministry of Defence before, there were a lot of checkpoints there, all the guys on duty were just in uniforms. But when I arrived at about 05:00 on the 24th [February], they were all wearing body armour, helmets, machine guns, with the clips loaded. That is, they were equipped in full combat gear. It was immediately striking. And immediately, a number of bags [filled with sand – ed.] began to grow, which were used to make fortifications and combat positions."

Details: As Reznikov recalls, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi's office was already in charge of the defence operations.

Quote from Reznikov: "We received reports from the respective commanders from different areas: what was happening, where, on which front. When we received the reports, we gave an appropriate response. They would report: Such-and-such is happening, we are doing this and that.’ So, if Zaluzhnyi saw that, for example, artillery support was needed, and an [enemy] convoy was coming, he would call the person in charge of artillery. He would say: ‘Can you deliver a hit?’. ‘Yes, call it in’. There was a real live command of the troops.

As for the communication devices, here are all the types of phones you know. We have our special communication, military communication, secure phones, and ordinary messengers with which you are all familiar – they were all used.

There was a lot of activity, but I don't remember any particular change that would happen to Zaluzhnyi. He has always been focused and organised ever since I met him. That's why he has stayed this way.

Nothing has changed for him. He had been preparing all his life for this attack, and now this moment had come. Zaluzhnyi was just doing his job. And this always gives you such confidence. Because you know how he is, and [Yevhen] Moisiuk (Zaluzhnyi’s deputy – ed.) is the same, and [Serhii] Shaptala (Chief of the General Staff – ed.) is the same, absolutely calm.

Of course, a lot of swearing was included in the commands. When the ‘Fire!’order was given, it sounded a little different."

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