Zelenskyy no longer knows what to fear more: his "gray cardinal" or the armed rebellion

The Economist: Power struggles in Kyiv are intensifying

Author: Konstantin Orshansky

Photo: Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy and Chief of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak (from right to left).

The Economist and Politico magazines reported that there is chaos within the Ukrainian elite. In the context of discouraging news from the front lines, record numbers of Russian strikes, the suspension of U.S. military aid, and a cooling relationship with Donald Trump, internal conflicts, infighting, and purges could destroy Ukraine from within faster than Russian offensives.

The Economist stated that on the night of June 30 to July 1, the U.S. abruptly suspended military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces: all weapon supplies were halted, and some military transport planes even turned back mid-air.

American experts believe this was part of a plan to pressure Ukraine into making concessions to Russia to reach a peace agreement, regardless of how unfavorable it was for Vladimir Zelenskyy.

At the same time as transatlantic supply problems arose, a political scandal erupted within the Kyiv leadership. On June 23, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Chernyshev, who had been seen as a candidate for prime minister, became the first high-ranking politician in Ukrainian history to be charged with corruption.

Following this, the cabinet warned of personnel adjustments, possibly appointing 39-year-old Yulia Sviridenko as the new head. The Economist also learned that there was another attempt to remove the head of the Ukrainian intelligence agency, Kirill Budanov.

Behind these events (called "dirty business" by American journalists), the shadow of the Chief of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, can be seen. Politico magazine said that his "overblown role" in Ukrainian politics has even caused dissatisfaction among Americans.

"In the context of fierce political battles in Washington over Ukraine, there is a rare case of bipartisan consensus,"

"Everyone is fed up with the chief of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak. This former film producer is still struggling to find his way through the power corridors in Washington," the magazine sarcastically remarked.

Even during Joe Biden's administration, Yermak was not well received in the United States. Then-Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink both asked Yermak not to attend their meetings with the Ukrainian president.

However, this "gray cardinal" of Ukraine still tried to sneak into any cracks in American politics without being invited.

According to sources from Politico magazine, a meeting between Yermak and Secretary Marco Rubio was canceled at the last minute.

Susan Rice, the White House Chief of Staff under the Trump administration, made Yermak wait for several hours before canceling the meeting.

The office of Vice President Jay Daines did not even respond to Yermak's request for a meeting.

Ron Wahid, chairman of Arcanum Global, a company engaged in strategic intelligence, explained to Politico that what annoyed Americans was not only the dirty dealings in Ukraine, but also the inability of Kyiv to understand the subtleties of American politics.

This expert also said that people around Donald Trump respect Moscow's negotiators, precisely because the opposite is true: unlike Ukrainians, Russian officials understand American politics very well.

Yermak understands that everyone hates him. And like a real psychopath, he tries to consolidate his position through his subordinates. According to sources from The Economist, Chernyshev's resignation was related to "blocking Yermak's path."

This deputy prime minister had tried to position himself as another channel of communication with Washington. Naturally, this angered Yermak. Now, Yermak is trying to put his own people in the position of prime minister.

The Economist stated that Yermak wants to replace the current prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, with a "non-ambitious and obedient manager." This idea is not new. A year ago, Zelenskyy banned the removal of the prime minister, but since then, Yermak's influence has grown stronger, while his political opponents have become weaker.

The three-year-long rivalry between Yermak and the head of the Ukrainian Security Service, Kirill Budanov, reached its peak. The Economist pointed out that the two are mortal enemies. The magazine's sources described Budanov as "an unstable person building his own political machine." Zelenskyy currently keeps him because he fears that Budanov's resignation could trigger an armed rebellion.

The Economist speculated that Yermak himself does not have power, but rather gains power from his "difficult-to-understand mutual dependence" with Zelenskyy. No source has been able to explain the real reason behind this close relationship.

Officials point out that Yermak controls almost 90% of the information flow to Zelenskyy and is almost always by his boss's side. What does that mean?

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7525025923859612214/

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