THREAD: A new HUGE corruption (and most probably spy) scandal around Zelensky. On Dec.8 Deputy Minister of Interior Gogilashvili did not stop his car at a check point in Donetsk region. After being stopped, he started to shout at, insult, threat and physically attacked policemen.
A video of incident went public on Dec.11. Free media started to uncover Gogiashvili's past. A HUGE stinking past had been revealed. In 2000s, Gogiashvili lived in Russian Rostov and was a PR officer at a probably criminal group of private prisons for drug addicts 2000-2010.
In 1998 he was convicted in Russia for fraud. There are concerns how could he work with a highly sensitive topic of drugs in Russia as a convict without cooperation with FSB. He also actively cooperated with Russian Kremlin party United Russia. Here: together with senator Karelin
In 2010s he moved to Ukraine. Under Zelensky he was appointed as a Deputy Minister of Interior in 2019. The person had no work experience (born in 1973, he worked at kindergarden, and than at "Vykhod" in Russia), no education. It looks like, that his wife played a huge role.
Gogilashvili's wife Maria Levchenko worked as Zelensky's Kvartal95 media company. She was appointed by Zelensky as his personal aide, but still worked formally at Kvartal95 - so she did not need to go through security clearance. Here: Levchenko, Zelensky, Gogilashvili together.
This is not all. Ukrainian media found out, Gogilashvili still holds his Russian passport. This means, a Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Interior with his wife as a personal aide by the President is a Russian citizen with a proven history of cooperation with United Russia party.
According to Ukrainian media, Maria Levchenko - obviously without any security clearance - was present at the meeting at Zelensky's office as details of Wagner mercenaries operation had been discussed. It is not clear, if she or her husband or someone else were a leak.
Anyway, before the leaked scandalous video, Gogilashvili was enjoying his stellar career, had even got an order from President Zelensky "for self-sacrifice, high professionalism in fighting of crime, loyal and spotless service to Ukrainian people":
Today, Gogilashvili was dismissed from his position in the ministry. Still there is no news about a criminal prosecution of his attack against a policeman, neither about the consequences for President Zelensky, who allegedly promoted him exclusively as Zelensky own aide's husband
A large number of genuine Ukrainian accounts I follow on different social media (and in many cases I personally know people behind them) are looking positively towards Trump's presidency, and see him as a hope for any true action. This shows how much Biden has pissed off Ukraine.
I stress: I don't say if Trump is good or bad. I say: many Ukrainians who risk their life daily, many at the front, are glad that Biden's team leaves the stage. They are well aware of Trump's ambiguity, and of what he & his team said about 🇺🇦 or Putin. Still they are relieved.
Biden's team went to this catastrophe deliberately and for years. From Ukraine's hero who has provided Ukraine with Javelins - to a pity old delusional man who is afraid of the might of the country he runs.
THREAD The real problem in communication btw Ukraine and its allies is the total lack of a common post-war world vision ➡️ the lack of a common goal. 🇺🇦 goal is to guarantee survival of the 🇺🇦 state AND of 🇺🇦nation, AND to achieve sustainable security for them in the future. 1/8
This goal is impossible to achieve without a full military defeat of Russia, and either significant demilitarization of Russia, or a significant increase of Ukraine’s military capacities, including gigantic long-range strike capacities (cruise missiles and Air Force). 2/8
The Western goal is different. While it’s not aimed against Ukraine per se
and would even welcome Ukraine’s survival, first of all it is aimed at prevention of Russia’s uncontrolled collapse, which associates with global risks (while Ukraine’s defeat is seen as a local risk). 3/8
I have just return from a very interesting NATO conference in Yerevan, Armenia. As much as the conference was amazing, the contrast to practically Russia-occupied country was grotesque. Lots of signs of Russia’s dominance: from cinema Moscow to purely Russian advertising /1
Russian plates on luxury cars, Russian announcements regarding the Eurasian Economic Union in the airport, Russian business lounges, tasteless Russian ad of “Crude Oil Vodka” /2
I felt absolutely unsafe every minute outside of the group. The level of subordination is crazy. Russian flags even on sweets shops, and even “Armenian-Chinese Friendship Society” addresses people in Russian (!) not in Armenian or Chinese. /3
The event at Germany’s army academy @FueAkBwHH has started. Ukraine‘s honorary consul Iryna Tybinka: Ukrainians are tired, but everyone understands: we have no choice but to fight. Those who demand a sort of cease fire, or stop of arms delivery, demand our death. /1
Marcus @MarcusFaber: Ukrainians defend us all with their fight, we need to be thankful. I visit Ukraine regularly, have been five times in Ukraine, and speak with civilians and NGOs, they know why they fight. /2
@MarcusFaber Hendrik Remmel from #GIDS: Ukraine is in strategic defensive since a year, its army's challenges are the same. First of all the lack of manpower. Ukraine needs tanks, IFVs, other equipment, to achieve dominance vs. Russia, as Russia's strategy is now: "we hold longer than UA". /3
A marvelous explosion of a Russian ammunition depot in Toropets, Tver region, north-west from Moscow, after a Ukrainian drone has hit it last night.
More video from this morning in Russian #Tver region where an ammunition depot has been demilitarized by a Ukrainian drone.
International seismic stations have recorded up to 15 massive explosions equivalent to earthquakes of 2.0 to 3.2 magnitude, likely related to secondary explosions in a Russian Toropets ammunition depot in Tver region, hit last night by a Ukrainian drone.
Why does the @POTUS administration effectively support Russia in this war? It’s not because they like Putin (like Trump does). The reason is different (but makes no difference in the result) 1) Biden’s team thinks in categories of red lines. This means, a superpower has core… /1
…interests. Everything outside of them is just spare change. But core interests may not be violated. If they do, the very existence of the superpower is threatened, and it goes into survival rage mode. 2) Biden’s delusional team thinks, Ukraine is not a core thing for Russia /2
They falsely believe, Ukraine war for Russia is something like Vietnam war for the U.S. Russia has its interests, but as soon as Russia starts suffering too high price, it will pull back. Because Ukraine is not Russia’s core interest. But IF the Ukrainians hit Russia’s core… /3