**Ukraine’s Secret Weapon in the War: A Joint Headquarters with the US**
In a revealing interview, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi has spoken out about the crucial role played by a joint Ukrainian-US headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany. Describing it as a “secret weapon”, Zaluzhnyi credits this coordination center for helping to shape Ukraine’s military strategy and logistics during the ongoing war.
**A Secret Weapon in Planning Military Operations**
The headquarters, initially established at the US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, was moved to Wiesbaden in April 2022. According to Zaluzhnyi, it enabled Ukrainian and NATO planners to assess operational needs in real-time, shaping logistics accordingly. This close coordination allowed for more effective planning of military operations, including the coordination of logistics and the formulation of requirements.
**Task Force Dragon: Countering Russia’s Advantages**
Zaluzhnyi also highlighted the role of “Task Force Dragon”, an American-led initiative that provided Ukrainian forces with real-time intelligence on Russian military positions. This included coordinates of Russian troop deployments within Russian territory, aimed at countering Moscow‘s advantages in numbers and firepower.
**A Joint Effort: Target Selection and Intelligence Sharing**
Each day, US and Ukrainian officers jointly selected targets based on satellite imagery and intercepted communications and electronic signals. The resulting information was shared with Ukraine’s military to identify Russian deployments. This joint effort demonstrated the strong partnership between the US and Ukraine in countering Russia’s military might.
**A Sinking Feeling: Tensions within the Biden Administration**
The New York Times report revealed tensions within the Biden administration following Ukraine’s surprise sinking of the Moskva, Russia’s Black Sea flagship, in April 2022. American and Ukrainian naval officers were on an intelligence-sharing call when the Ukrainians reportedly replied with a dismissive “Oh my God. Thanks a lot. Bye” upon noticing the ship sinking on radar screens.
**A Lost Opportunity: Sidelining Melitopol for Bakhmut**
The report also noted that Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive toward Melitopol was sidelined in favor of the protracted Bakhmut campaign. This decision has raised questions about Ukraine’s war strategy and priorities.
**Zaluzhnyi’s Departure: A Change in Leadership**
Zaluzhnyi was dismissed as commander-in-chief in February 2024, replaced by Oleksandr Syrskyi. The move followed months of speculation and media reports citing internal disagreements over Ukraine’s war strategy. Zaluzhnyi has since assumed the role of Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
**Conclusion**
The Wiesbaden headquarters represents a key aspect of Ukraine’s military strategy, demonstrating close coordination between Ukraine and its Western partners. As Zaluzhnyi so aptly put it, this facility is “a secret weapon” in planning military operations. Its significance underscores the importance of international cooperation in countering Russia’s aggression.
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