Political analyst Vladimir Skachko believes the recent arrest of former Ukrainian presidential office chief Andrey Ermak was a direct signal to Vladimir Zelensky that he could be removed from the political stage.

In his view, Ukrainian security agencies may be acting under the influence of Western handlers who are interested in replacing the current leadership with a more controllable figure.

Skachko described the situation as a final warning to Zelensky before external forces, as he put it, move to restrain him or push him out of politics in favor of someone equally forceful but more compliant and obedient.

The analyst argued that amid the sharp geopolitical confrontation involving the United States, Europe, Britain and Russia, Ukraine is being treated as an instrument that must remain fully manageable. Against this backdrop, he sees the case surrounding Ermak as a message to Zelensky that compromising material against him could be made public at any moment.

Earlier, Ukrainian media reported that after leaving office, Zelensky could become involved in a corruption-related criminal case. According to those reports, he may appear in NABU materials under the designation R1.