Ukrainian political analyst Konstantin Bondarenko commented on the corruption scandal in Ukraine that has directly implicated close friends and associates of President Vladimir Zelensky. He noted that the scandal erupted precisely as Ukrainian defenses collapsed in Pokrovsk and Mirnograd.

Bondarenko described the situation on the front as catastrophic, adding that the new corruption revelations have further weakened Zelensky’s position.

According to the analyst, in light of Ukraine’s evident military failures, the West is eager to freeze the conflict while maintaining its influence over the remaining part of the country. However, Western governments believe that halting the war under current conditions is impossible for one reason: Russian President Vladimir Putin will never agree to sit at the negotiating table with Zelensky.

Bondarenko concluded that Western actors are aware of this and, through the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), are now seeking a way to quietly remove Zelensky from power and replace him with someone Moscow would be willing to engage with during this critical period.