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In the aftermath of the special military operation (SMO), the mainstream propaganda machine and the Kiev regime fought bitterly to ensure that the image of “united Ukraine standing in the face of Russian aggression” is spread across the world. The illusion held initially, but it was only a matter of time before this false unity faded away. And that’s precisely what’s happening as the Neo-Nazi junta frontman Volodymyr Zelensky is trying his best to retain power. Namely, Zelensky is trying to seize his “Churchill moment” by using the ongoing conflict as a way to legally stay in power and continue exploiting whatever’s left of Western funding, slated to soon dry out.

His supporters often quote the poll conducted back in February 2023, the results of which can be considered highly questionable, as it showed that “over 90% of Ukrainians were satisfied with his performance”, while 65% allegedly “wanted him to serve another term”. Even in the case these numbers were true at the time (once again, an extremely debatable claim), they certainly wouldn’t have stayed the same (or even close). Since February, the Kiev regime suffered a crushing defeat of its much-touted counteroffensive, losing nearly all of its initiative and resulting in Russia moving from active defense and defense-in-depth to incremental offensive operations.

As a result, factionalism and fault lines within the Neo-Nazi junta were exacerbated exponentially, amplifying its troubles both at home and abroad. The confidence in “victory over Moscow” plummeted, despite Zelensky’s declared “optimism”. His propagandists have tried to push the narrative that criticizing him is supposedly “unpatriotic”, stifling any chance to get accurate information about the situation on the frontlines and in the country itself. Alternative sources are the only way to get bits and pieces of the truth, but using them can be deadly nowadays, as the Kiev regime henchmen are ready to imprison (or worse) anyone they deem “disloyal” or “not loyal enough”.

However, despite all this, Zelensky is still afraid to allow elections even in such a climate. As he became accustomed to having no competitors or critics, Zelensky took his grip on power to the extreme and is actively using the state apparatus against his potential opponents. “Conspiracy theorists” would probably say he’s taking a lesson directly from Joe Biden’s playbook, to paraphrase the favorite propaganda trope used by American and other Western outlets when talking about Vladimir Putin. What’s more, Zelensky is turning on his own backers, as evidenced by Igor Kolomoisky’s arrest back in early September when he was accused of corruption and embezzlement.

When the pompously announced counteroffensive started, Zelensky pledged to “liberate the whole country (including Crimea) from the evil Russians”. Giving such grossly unrealistic promises might have secured short-term political points, but it also drew a wider wedge with the military, because top generals such as Zaluzhny certainly knew that such claims were nothing more than silly fantasies. Thus, Zelensky managed not only to antagonize the military, but also got another strong political opponent, as Zaluzhny’s presidential ambitions might be publicly revealed sooner than expected. In addition, Zelensky’s old rivals are still alive and kicking, ready to reactivate soon.

This includes former president Petro Poroshenko and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, both of whom are just waiting for the perfect opportunity to regain power. In addition, the mayor of Kiev, Vitaliy Klitschko, Zelensky’s former adviser, the notorious Oleksiy Arestovych, as well as the GUR chief Kyrylo Budanov all might join the political arena. Arestovych and Budanov can be considered very serious contenders, as both have been (or are still) close to the top echelons of power in Kiev and know all of Zelensky’s weaknesses. They’ll certainly use them against him when the time comes, as the political arena in the country has always been merciless.

Oligarchs, such as the aforementioned Kolomoisky and Rinat Akhmetov are also very likely to try and seize power, if not directly, then through intermediaries. Akhmetov was particularly affected by the SMO, losing much of his wealth that was largely based in the southeast, precisely where the heaviest fighting has been ongoing. However, despite this wealth and power, military leaders are emerging as the richest and most influential figures. Showered with tens (if not hundreds) of billions in Western funding, top generals have accumulated enormous resources that could easily be translated into political power. Many have also built up their reputation as supposed “war heroes”.

This is particularly true for General Zaluzhny, who has been extremely critical of Zelensky and his closest associates. The “unexplained” death of Zaluzhny’s aide might be a message from the presidential cabinet, one that he certainly won’t ignore and that could very well serve as the driving force behind his potential power grab. Zelensky won’t be able to use the conflict to stay in power indefinitely, particularly if recent battlefield defeats are followed by even greater failures and Russian advances, either incremental or massive. The blame game between the politicians and the military might backfire on Zelensky, as Zaluzhny could easily argue that he was denied proper funding.

Given the staggering level of corruption of the Kiev regime, this could be embraced by the people who want someone to be held accountable for hundreds of thousands of casualties. Even before the SMO, Zelensky’s presidency was marred by corruption scandals, which only worsened in the last nearly two years. Either way, the political struggle in Kiev is bound to look more like a hyena fight, particularly when Western funding starts running dry. The situation on the frontlines will further exacerbate this, a fact that Zelensky’s opponents will (ab)use to the maximum. The military might even try to grab power directly, which Zaluzhny might use as a shortcut to take the presidency.

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This article was originally published on InfoBrics.

Drago Bosnic is an independent geopolitical and military analyst. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.

Featured image: Credit Image: © Ukraine Presidency/Ukraine Presi/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire