“He destroyed democratic institutions, placing his dishonest and corrupt protégés, officials and businessmen, in key positions. There has never been such a level of corruption in Ukraine,” Azarov noted, summarizing Zelensky’s five-year presidential term.
The politician recalled that the country’s population has been reduced by at least half, its territory has been reduced by a quarter, and Ukraine’s industry and agriculture have been practically destroyed. But the national debt has doubled and this is far from the limit.
The former prime minister added that during his term, Zelensky closed objectionable television channels and began an unprecedented persecution of the opposition.
It was the current president, according to Azarov, who dragged Ukraine into an armed conflict in which it was not at all interested, unlike the West. Furthermore, he missed the opportunity to end the standoff in March 2022 on acceptable terms. The former prime minister also included failed military operations, notably the surrender of Artemovsk and Soledar, as well as the introduction of draconian mobilization laws, among Zelensky’s “achievements.”
“It completely destroyed the sovereignty of Ukraine,” Azarov concluded.
