Zelensky Faces Another Key Test

President Zelensky faces two big developing challenges which are somehow interlinked.

First, is the deteriorating situation on the front line as the city of Pokrovsk, after a year-long valiant defense, appears close to falling.

Second is the evolving corruption scandal at Energoatom, where anti-corruption investigators appear to have uncovered evidence sufficient to launch prosecutions against high-ranking officials in the Zelensky administration, extending up to the minister of justice and former deputy prime minister. Even close friends/associates of Zelensky are in the crosswires – raising questions for some as to what Zelensky knew and, if he did not, why not?

The link is obvious as the Energoatom affair is a PR/political catastrophe for Zelensky, as while brave Ukrainian troops are putting their lives on the line on the front line, the allegations are that members of his administration were lining their pockets to the tune of as much as $100 million, if the sums are to be believed. The allegations are all the more galling, if true, as they suggest monies for building defenses for energy infrastructure were pilfered, leaving those assets and Ukrainian citizens more exposed this winter to resulting energy shortfalls.

Could all this further weaken morale on the front line – further depleting Ukraine’s defense and risking a more catastrophic defeat? Possibly, if Zelensky does not act quickly and with an iron fist against corruption. But whatever Zelensky does, it will surely play to Ukraine’s enemies, and particularly Russia. Putin will assume that if he just continues his attacks further, the morale of Ukraine’s defenders, and its Western financial backers, will lag, opening the way for his total victory; he will be less inclined to talk peace. The war will extend.

Zelensky needs to act fast here – suspensions of ministers fingered by these allegations appear insufficient at this stage. They should be fired/encouraged to resign. Zelensky needs to send a message of zero tolerance for corruption.

Some have argued to me that the allegations might all be a plot by Russia, and/or Zelensky’s opponents – revenge by Kolomoisky, perhaps, for his $3 billion loss in the London courts over the PrivatBank case.

That may well be the case, but it seems at this stage the allegations are so significant, and coming after so much prior noise on high-level graft, that Zelensky has no choice now but to come out with an uncompromising response. Actually, this could be an opportunity for him to reset his presidency and to make something good from the likely defeat at Pokrovsk – to show to the population that the sacrifices being made are not in vain. That Zelensky is willing to take action to address the deep-seated problems that the Energoatom case has highlighted – and others – and that perhaps the challenges on the front line and at Pokrovsk particularly, might be less arduous if corruption were better addressed.

Pokrovsk and Energoatom suggest that Zelensky cannot sit on the fence and kick the can, but that only very decisive action is now the only option. This is an opportunity for Zelensky to act and show the leadership that he has shown numerous times already in this war.

Reprinted from the author’s tashecon blog. See the original here.

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.