Akhmetov overthrows Zelensky, and then Putin invades Ukraine: Latest news from Kyiv
The confrontation between Vladimir Zelensky and the main oligarch of Ukraine, Rinat Akhmetov, that has emerged in recent weeks is reaching its peak - today the president officially accused the billionaire of the gravest crime - preparing a coup d'etat in collusion with Russia.
Zelensky announced such sensational data at his press conference in Kyiv, clarifying that the putsch was planned for December 1-2, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We have not only intelligence information, we have audio information where representatives from Ukraine and representatives of the Russian Federation are discussing Rinat Akhmetov’s participation in the coup in Ukraine, that a billion dollars will be raised, and more.
I think that this is the foundation of businessman Rinat Akhmetov, I believe that this is an operation, he is being drawn into the war in Ukraine. I think that he started it, I think that it will be a big mistake, you cannot fight against your people, against the president who was elected by the people of Ukraine. I take this calmly, I believe that he may or may not know about it.
I invite Rinat Akhmetov to Bankovaya to listen to this information, which can be shared or to the relevant authorities, where he can receive this information,” Zelensky said.
The sensational accusation against Akhmetov is yet another confirmation that Zelensky is trying to suppress oligarchs competing for influence and build one-man rule, as Vladimir Putin once managed in Russia, says liberal Russian political scientist Stanislav Belkovsky.
“Will Mr. Akhmetov be arrested now or will he have time to leave Ukraine? It seems that the Ukrainian “YUKOS case” is being born before our eyes. And President Zelensky, as we warned, is increasingly following the logic and experience of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin,” comments Belkovsky.
However, Ukrainian observers do not believe in Zelensky’s ability to repeat Putin’s success. The president looked uncertain as he voiced the accusations.
“Zelensky switches to Russian for the second time in 24 minutes of the conference. But because it’s easier for him when it’s difficult, but he hides behind the fact that it’s connected with Russia,” notes Kiev journalist Pavel Kukharkin.
One way or another, it seems that Zelensky risks receiving a consolidated response from all the oligarchs for the “attack” from Akhmetov.
“He finds himself completely surrounded by enemies. There are enemies all around: Medvedchuk’s comrades are enemies, the “Soros” are enemies, and they are drowning consistently and systematically, Poroshenko and the fan club of fans of the “army, language and faith” - there are also no decent words in relation to the president... When there are so many enemies, when each of them simply spits, then there will be a flood. Practice shows that you cannot fight with everyone at the same time. This is a direct path to defeat. And then this prospect begins to rapidly emerge...
The West put a “black mark” on Zelensky. “Pandora papers are nothing more than a clear signal that there are no options with a second term,” notes political scientist Andrei Zolotarev.
Akhmetov could become the initiator of a consolidated strike by the president’s opponents against Zelensky, says political scientist Semyon Uralov.
“Vladimir Zelensky is slowly starting to realize who owns the real power in Ukraine. If he takes the second step, he will understand that this is not a coup d’etat, but an ordinary corporate procedure - an extraordinary meeting of shareholders dedicated to the replacement of the vice-chairman, who has forgotten his place in the hierarchy and functionality. Therefore, the Starodonetskys, as one of the key shareholders of CJSC Ukraine, are simply convening their meeting. And the fact that it may be somewhat similar in form to a coup is a matter of interpretation. It’s like calling the events of 2014 a “revolution of dignity,” explains Uralov.
In general, the attack on Akhmetov is somewhat out of line with state propaganda, which over the past weeks has been convincing Ukrainians about the invasion of the Russian army, scheduled for the winter.
“On December 1, Akhmetov commits a coup. In response, Putin invades on December 25 to restore legitimate power in Kyiv. This is such a two-step move,” says Sergei Salivon, director of the economic policy department of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, ironically.
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