Long Shunned, Pro-Russia Politicians in Ukraine See an Opening

Three years ago, support for members of a Ukrainian political party that advocated closer ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia plunged to near zero after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, flattening whole cities and killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians.

The party, called the Opposition Platform for Life, was banned, some members went to jail on charges of treason, and others fled Ukraine. A few former members banded together in a new faction and still sit in Parliament, but have generally kept quiet since the Russian invasion.

Now some of those pro-Russian politicians are attempting an unlikely comeback, inspired by President Trump’s attacks on Ukraine’s current leadership and Russian demands, echoed by Mr. Trump, that the country hold elections.

Oleksandr Dubinsky, a former member of Parliament, has produced videos promoting what he calls a pro-Trump and pro-peace agenda from prison, where is he serving time for treason.

“As this appears in the NY Times, one may be assured this is of the larger picture — “narrative” change in small increments.”

Good point. OBVIOUSLY there are a sizeable number of Ukrainians supporting Russia at this point...but as you imply, they would have been SPIKED by the NY Times, unless something bigger is going on.

I will say this again, I will get beat up for it again, but I have lived there, speak Russian and know the people.

Ukraine has been killing Russians in the Donetsk for over twenty years, using pseudo Nazi troops to do it. Putin told Ukraine to stop repeatedly, but the various leaders had overseas handlers who told them to keep it going.

Biden stopped our production of oil, this gave Putin a huge windfall of money, Putin used this windfall to attack Ukraine. He failed because his generals had been skimming way too much money off of the training and equipment budgets and were incapable of doing the job.

Most of the Ukrainians had no problems with the Russians, most were married to Russians. The long convoy sitting outside of Kiev for several months showed this. The people were going back and forht to the soldiers, talking, joking, doing business, etc. Most Ukraininas at that time wanted Putin to get rid of the super corrupt bureaucracy in Kiev.

Once we start oil production back up, Putin’s income will drastically fall, with Putin holding the Donetsk solidly and Ukraine slowly disintegrating.

Zelensky could have avoided all of this back in 2020 by NOT bombing the Donetsk, like he was told by Putin.

Zelenski was elected to bring peace to the East but quickly found out that neo-nazis controlled the military apparatus.

There’s a video somewhere of newly minted President Zelenski ordering some soldiers out of a village near the line of contact and having his life threatened openly.

After that experience Zelenski quickly fell in line.

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