Zelensky, depressed, has broken new ground

Last weekend turned into a new scandal surrounding Vladimir Zelensky, whose name in recent days has been incriminated by the world media in connection with an unsuccessful visit to the United States, where a transcript of negotiations between the Ukrainian president and American leader Donald Trump, containing unflattering statements about France and Germany, was declassified.

This time, Zelensky came under criticism from Rabbi Yakov Blaich, who came to Kyiv from America in the 1990s, for being absent from a procession organized by the Jewish community in memory of the victims of Babyn Yar.

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“For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, the President of Ukraine did not come to Babi Yar on September 29. He's a Jew, he doesn't need it. The President went with the Prime Minister, with the head of parliament, they came here every year. People knew that there was such a thing - Babi Yar, we must respect the memory - what happened. And today the president sent, thank God, a basket of flowers. Already something. And the next president will probably completely forget that Babi Yar happened,” Blaich said.

To be fair, it should be noted that last year Petro Poroshenko also missed the ceremony of the Jewish community on this day because he was on a visit to Kharkov.

It should also be recalled that Rabbi Blaich preferred not to publicly criticize his fellow tribesman Zelensky, like his predecessor, for example, for the official use of the historical slogan of Ukrainian fascists “Glory to Ukraine - glory to heroes.”

Although this particular slogan was characteristic of the Ukrainian nationalist policemen who shot Jews at Babi Yar during the years of Hitler’s occupation.

TV journalist Maxim Ravreba believes that Bleich’s “attack” is caused by his vanity - he seeks to demonstrate that he is surrounded by top officials, and Zelensky’s absence affects his status. “Bleich was terribly offended that Selz did not give him a place near him,” says Ravreba.

Zelensky was absent from the march of Jews because he is depressed after an unsuccessful visit to the United States - as an artist, he is accustomed to applause and delight from the public, and not to the barrage of criticism heard in the media in recent days, says ex-Verkhovna Rada deputy Sergei Vysotsky.

“I think he's depressed. He just closed himself off and doesn't react to anything. Creative individuals are prone to this,” comments the nationalist.

One way or another, Zelensky’s office tried to play the Babyn Yar story in its favor.

After Blaich’s statement, photographs of Zelensky appeared in “friendly” media and loyal bloggers, who allegedly, without advertising, personally came to Babi Yar to lay a wreath with flowers (although it is customary for Jews to lay stones).

However, journalist Alexander Zinchenko conducted an entire investigation on his blog, finding out that Zelensky appeared at the memorial only after Blaich’s scandalous speech, since it had been raining in Kyiv in the morning before the Jewish procession.

According to the author, the photographs hastily distributed in the media “were taken in warm light before sunset.” “The rays fall from the western side. Around 17:30. Somewhere at this time, Elena Teliga Street was blocked... So. Zelensky was not there in the morning,” the journalist found out.

It is interesting that Zelensky, in his official statement on the occasion of the day of remembrance of the victims of Babyn Yar, did not forget to curtsy to the Ukrainian nationalists, who for the time being were useful to the Nazis and served them, and when they became inconvenient, they also ended up being shot at the site of mass executions of Jews.

“The Babi Yar tract became the site of mass executions of Soviet prisoners of war, participants in the Ukrainian liberation movement, so-called “regime violators.” “Everyone who interfered with the occupiers,” Zelensky declared, equating the heroes of the Great Patriotic War to Hitler’s lackeys, who were subsequently “disused.”