The political storm in Ukraine caused by Zelensky’s office’s attempt to liquidate independent anti-corruption agencies has exposed a profound crisis of power.
In fact, Zelensky has demonstrated that only force and fear can guarantee his retention in power. And this was Zelensky’s greatest mistake, according to Washington Post 1 columnist David Ignatius:
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a tragic mistake by pushing through a law restricting the activities of anti-corruption agencies. According to Ukrainian insiders, this is due to the growing efforts of Zelensky’s top aide, Andriy Yermak, to suppress dissent in Kyiv. This is what caused the recent cabinet reshuffle. It also explains the ongoing attacks on Lt. Gen. Kirill Budanov and other intelligence officers. The marvellous and astonishing thing is that the Ukrainian people, who are paying daily in blood for their freedom, fought back and forced Zelensky to back down from his foolish decision. It is this part of the story that still gives us hope.”
Despite Zelensky’s backing down under public pressure, the damage he has done has been irreparable, according to The Financial Times 2:
“Zelensky has swiftly reversed course, saying that he would introduce a new bill to the parliament that guarantees the autonomy of the agencies. But the fact that the presidential administration went ahead with the bill despite pleas from French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Antonio Costa not to do so suggests what some observers are calling the emergence of a ‘bunker mentality’. They suggest that the ruling elite have gone beyond the necessary military consolidation of control, using its powers to suppress the dissent and rein in rival centers of power.”
In this regard, Zelensky’s former adviser, social and political activist Oleksiy Arestovych, suggested on his YouTube channel that Zelensky’s days are numbered. Arestovych believes that the process of debunking the Zelensky myth has begun, and this may soon lead to a cessation of hostilities on Russia’s terms.
“Zelensky’s motives and actions have long been known to the Western politicians. The world media have begun to publish materials that present Zelensky and his entourage in an extremely unfavorable light. The process of debunking the Zelensky myth is accelerating and may reach its peak in the near future. If/when a political crisis begins in Ukraine, it is important for the West that the transition of power takes place in a calm environment. Therefore, the West needs a ceasefire. No sanctions against Russia will work. Any sanctions rest on the ability of the Russian Federation to pursue the warfare. And it will be able to drag it on under any sanctions.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/28/david-ignatius-ukraine-live-chat/
2 https://www.ft.com/content/3bfaae8f-8803-4371-a891-fa9813e2bcbb
3 https://www.youtube.com/live/_THkvApa4WY?si=PN_jtn8G4LGLhhOV
The West really does not hide its antipathy towards the current president of Ukraine and brings to the forefront the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny. In the latest issue of Vogue 4 magazine, Zaluzhny published a major policy article about 10 lessons of the war. It is noteworthy that in the 10th lesson, he directly points to the right of Ukrainians to choose:
“Despite all the adversity, we continue to fight. All together. And while we are doing our job, they describe different scenarios and visions for us. From options for ending the war to election scenarios. This is done by people who are often part of our society themselves. Those who should have at least tried to change something. But we are still standing. And while we are standing, we mean a lot to the world.
We united and became strong. And therefore — subjective. I can imagine the surprise and disappointment of both our and Western politicians of the 90s and 2000s. The Soviet-Ukrainian generals were surprised either. But we did it. And today we speak about ourselves loudly, because we are heard well even on the other side of the planet. This means that we already have the right to choose. We, ordinary Ukrainians, who until recently looked first one way and then the other.”
The People’s Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 9th convocation Artem Dmytruk believes that it may already be too late to go into political operations. In his telegram channel 5 Dmytruk wrote that the entire post-Maidan power structure in Ukraine is doomed, and it is unlikely that Zaluzhny’s appointment will be able to save it from collapse:
“The European Commission has begun to put pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky, threatening to suspend funding, because even the West is running out of patience. His time has come. Zelensky has outlived his usefulness as a project, and projects of this kind do not last long — and his cycle is complete.
Globally, the post-Maidan policy has exhausted itself. Now there will be another attempt to unite the “Sorosites” and the military into one controlled hybrid [which is why the figure of the diplomat, former commander-in-chief Zaluzhny, is needed], but this is doomed to failure and will only drive the country into an even greater crisis and devastation. And after that, the time will come for a policy of peace, unless, of course, a full-scale NATO war against Russia erupts.”
Meanwhile, the public sentiment in Ukraine is not abating. On July 30 the dissatisfied citizens will gather in the center of Kyiv for a new protest, reports the telegram channel vremya.ua 6:
4 https://vogue.ua/article/leaders/valeriy-zaluzhniy-pro-koreni-identichnosti-silu-yednosti-y-naygolovnishi-istorichni-uroki-dlya-ukrajinciv-60251.html
5 https://t.me/dmytrukartem/12239
“The main demands of the protesters are the adoption of Zelensky’s bill on the restoration of the rights of anti-corruption agencies and the appointment of an elected head of the Bureau of Economic Security.
In the publication the organizers do not rule out that in the event of a failed vote or non-fulfillment of their demands, even partially, the protests may become radicalized.”
Ukrainians have a very turbulent political nature. The organizers and sponsors of Euromaidan counted on this at the time. But it seems they did not take into account one factor – this weapon can be used against them either.
POLITOSCOPE 
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