"Because in 2024, Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine. Let's be honest. Already in Ukraine, the Iranian 'Shahedis' are killing civilians absolutely openly, without any shame," said Zaluzhny, adding that North Korean and Chinese weapons are flying into Ukraine.
Zaluzhny urged Ukraine's allies to draw the right conclusions.
"It is still possible to stop it here, on the territory of Ukraine. But for some reason our partners do not want to understand this. It is obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies. Ukraine will survive with technology, but it is not clear whether it can win this battle alone," he said.
That's a bold claim, not that I necessarily disagree with it. Are there groups of well respected historians that would agree that it has begun? I could only find a few here and there that think it has started.
WWII started on the 3rd of September 1939, according to British history books, and some time in 1941 according to most Americans (or so I am led to believe), but I'm sure the Poles would think it was some point before either of those...
I believe that even in the West that's just the elementary school level of history. When you dig deeper the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria often shows up as the beginning and if not then you have several other events like the Khalkhyn Gol battle in the east or in the west anything from occupation of Rhineland through Anschluss, Munich, occupationf of Czechia to Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.