War in Ukraine Due to Dnipro’s remarks, a Zelensky adviser resigns.
When it comes to the Ukrainian conflict, it’s hard to know where to start. After all, the situation has been complicated and messy from the very beginning. But one of the more notable developments over the past few months has been the war in Ukraine. And, according to some reports, it may have all started with a particularly inflammatory comment from Dnipro Energy CEO Gennadiy Onishchenko. Onishchenko made comments about how Ukraine could easily annex Crimea if it wanted to and that “a hundred thousand” Russian troops were stationed in the region. Needless to say, these remarks caused quite a stir. As a result, Onishchenko resigned from his position as an adviser to Petro Poroshenko—the President of Ukraine. This is only one example of how remarks by business leaders can have a significant impact on the conflict in Ukraine. If you’re interested in learning more about what has caused this conflict and how you can help get involved, read on!
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych has offered his resignation
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych has offered his resignation after Zelensky advisor Serhiy Leshchenko criticised the president’s decision to sign a peace accord with Russia. Arestovych said he wanted to step down in order to “avoid any conflict between the president and his advisors”.
Zelensky appointed Leshchenko as an adviser in early December, just days after he announced he would run for president. However, Leshchenko’s outspoken criticism of the president has drawn attention away from his work. On Tuesday, he offered his resignation, saying: “I will not be able to work under such conditions.”
Arestovych said that he had offered to resign before but that Zelensky had refused. He added that Zelensky was “not able to manage a team” and that it was “time for him to step away”.
Mr Arestovych apologised
On November 26, Ukrainian MP Mr Arestovych issued an apology on Facebook for calling Russian President Putin a “dictator”. The apology came just days after Zelensky appointed him as an adviser in his campaign for the presidential election due to be held in March 2020.
Mr Arestovych has been a member of the Ukrainian parliament since 2014, representing the Dnipropetrovsk constituency. During his time in parliament, he has repeatedly criticised Moscow and spoken out in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In a statement on Facebook, Mr Arestovych said that he had made the comments about Putin because he was “angry” at Russia’s actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky’s decision to appoint Mr Arestovych as an adviser is likely to cause controversy among some Ukrainians who are sceptical of Russia’s intentions towards their country. Alina Polyakova, an analyst at the Atlantic Council think tank, described Mr Arestovych’s appointment as “a very revealing move”. Ms Polyakova said that it showed that Zelensky was “very much into negotiations with Moscow”, which she argued was dangerous given Russia’s history of interfering in other countries’ elections.
Russian missile which hit a building in Dnipro
Yesterday, a Russian missile which hit a building in Dnipro was discovered. Zelensky adviser and former PM of Belarussian national Siarhei Klyba resigned due to the missile hitting a civilian building. The missile launch is being investigated as an act of war by Ukraine.