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His days are numbered — we’ve been saying it for years
In press releases since 2023, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has predicted a Western coup against Zelensky. Meduza reviews the timeline.
Those who track statements issued by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) might be forgiven for wondering if a recent announcement had slipped in from a tabloid. On July 29, a press release appeared on the agency’s official website under the headline “Ukrainian Presidential Elections Held at Alpine Resort.” The statement claimed that “not so long ago” in the Alps, unnamed British and American representatives held a “secret meeting” attended by three of Ukraine’s most influential figures: presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak, military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov, and former commander-in-chief (now Ambassador to the U.K.) Valerii Zaluzhnyi. At this alleged meeting, the SVR claims, “the Americans and the British announced their decision to advance Zaluzhnyi for Ukraine’s presidency,” with Yermak and Budanov “falling in line after receiving assurances from the Anglo-Saxons that they would retain their current positions.”
For two years now, the SVR has regularly reported receiving “reliable intelligence” about the United States supposedly preparing to “replace V. Zelensky” as Ukraine’s president. The evolution of this claim highlights the minimal effort Moscow invests in making its press releases appear credible. Meduza reviews the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service’s allegations over the years.
December 2023
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West Prepares to Replace Zelensky
“The Foreign Intelligence Service is receiving reliable information that high-ranking officials from leading Western countries are increasingly discussing among themselves the necessity of replacing Ukraine’s current president, V. Zelensky.”
Replacement candidates: Andriy Yermak, Kyrylo Budanov, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko
June 2024
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West Prepares to ‘Write Off’ Zelensky
“Having exhausted Zelensky’s ‘usefulness’ and recognizing the futility of hopes for Russia’s ‘strategic defeat,’ the White House, without hesitation, will throw him on the trash heap of history and replace him with a Ukrainian politician who might prove amenable to conducting negotiations with Moscow about a peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
Replacement candidate: V. Zaluzhnyi
August 2024
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U.S. Selects Zelensky’s Replacement
“In the current situation, Washington is working through options for replacing the Ukrainian leader with ‘a more manageable and less corrupt figure who would suit most Western allies.’ The White House believes this approach would enable the West to position itself better for potential negotiations with Russia regarding conflict resolution.”
Replacement candidate: former Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov
November 2024
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U.S. Prepares to Hold Elections in Ukraine
“The SVR reports that, according to information it has received, U.S. State Department officials are actively working on contingency plans to change Ukraine’s current leadership if necessary. Holding presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming year amid ongoing hostilities with Russia is viewed in Washington as one of the ‘legitimate’ ways to remove the ‘excessively arrogant’ V. Zelensky.”
No replacement candidates specified.
February 2025
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NATO Prepares Campaign to Discredit V. Zelensky
“NATO officials consider it necessary to preserve the remnants of Ukraine as an anti-Russian bridgehead at all costs. They plan to ‘freeze’ the conflict by bringing the opposing sides into dialogue to ‘begin resolving it.’ At the same time, Washington and Brussels agree that the principal obstacle is V. Zelensky, dismissed in Western backrooms as mere ‘spent material.’ NATO seeks to unseat the head of the Kyiv regime, ideally through pseudo-democratic elections, potentially as soon as this fall.”
No replacement candidates specified.
July 2025
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Ukrainian Presidential Elections Held at Alpine Resort
“According to information received by the SVR, representatives of the U.S. and U.K. recently convened a secret meeting in an Alpine resort town with Ukrainian presidential chief of staff A. Yermak, intelligence chief K. Budanov, and former military commander and Ambassador V. Zaluzhnyi. The agenda included discussions on replacing President Zelensky, with unanimous agreement that the time for change had come.”
Replacement candidate: V. Zaluzhnyi