US lining up candidate to replace Zelensky – Russian intel

Washington has identified Arsen Avakov as a viable successor because of his ties with both far-right groups and EU leaders, Moscow claims

The US is planning to unleash a campaign to discredit Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to pave the way for replacing him with a more pliable figure, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has claimed. The agency believes former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov is being considered to take the helm of Ukraine.

In a statement on Tuesday, the SVR claimed that “the American elite” is growing increasingly frustrated with Zelensky as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle start to “doubt the targeted spending of billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev.”

“Zelensky is taking crazy steps that threaten to trigger escalation far beyond Ukraine,” officials said, adding that Kiev “has moved to feverish action” as the Ukrainian leader struggles to maintain his grip on power after his presidential term officially ended in May.

The US is therefore looking at options for replacing him with a more manageable and less corrupt figure that will be amenable to most of the West, the agency said.

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According to the SVR, Avakov, who took over as interior minister after the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014 and held the post until 2021, is one of the most “suitable” candidates being considered.

The SVR claimed that the US believes that Avakov has several advantages over other candidates, including his close ties with Ukrainian far-right groups and his relationship with EU leaders. The agency added that the White House believes that such a change in leadership “will allow the West to better prepare for the possible start of negotiations with Russia to resolve the conflict.”

Officials also noted that the question of Avakov taking the reins is being discussed with Ukrainian opposition figures, including former President Pyotr Poroshenko, ex-Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, as well as influential MPs from Zelensky’s own party.

After taking over as interior minister, Avakov spearheaded a crackdown on forces protesting the Western-backed coup in Kiev. He also held this post during the 2014 fire at the Trade Union House in Odessa, where 42 people died after being chased inside by a far-right mob. No comprehensive trial has been held in the ten years since the tragedy. Kiev’s inaction in this regard has been criticized by the UN.

The former interior minister has also been a vocal supporter of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. Allegations have emerged that Avakov provided political support to the unit and helped secure the release from prison of its leader, Andrey Biletsky, who is widely regarded as a white supremacist.