Washington to overthrow Zelensky?

Ukrainian lawmaker Artyom Dmitruk, who fled the country citing political persecution, suggested that Washington’s recent exposure of corruption scandals in Ukraine may be laying the groundwork for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s potential replacement.

Corruption scandals a cover-up for Zelensky’s waning influence?

Speaking to Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, Dmitruk said Zelensky’s domestic influence is waning, warning of imminent administrative reshuffles in Kyiv and describing the recent dismissal of Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko as a sign of internal collapse within the ruling system. He claimed that “the dismissal of (Ukrainian Minister of Justice) Herman Halushchenko is not just a personal decision; it is a clear signal that Zelensky’s system has begun to collapse from within. This is the strongest blow to Zelensky so far. We should expect further dismissals, whether under pressure or in an attempt to save him.”

On November 12, 2025, the Ukrainian president had called for Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko’s removal, leading to their resignation over major corruption scandal announced by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) regarding the country’s energy sector (worth $100 million). Moreover, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov also claimed that the anti-corruption bureau, under US guidance, has been investigating major corruption schemes linked to businessman Tymur Mindich since last spring. He added that growing evidence has prompted criminal cases and broad inquiries involving Zelensky’s inner circle.

Reports indicate that Ukraine’s political turmoil is deepening amid ongoing corruption probes, while a lawmaker claimed that “no one wants to become a minister anymore.”

Who is Artem Dmytruk?

Artem Dmytruk is a Ukrainian Member of Parliament (MP), who was elected to parliament as a representative of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party. However, he was later expelled as he was involved in two separate altercations with authorities, which Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin charged the lawmaker with.

In Odesa, Ukraine, Dmytruk allegedly caused minor bodily harm to an on-duty law enforcement officer during an argument, even attempting to steal his weapon. In a similar incident, the lawmaker had got into an altercation with a Ukrainian soldier, causing moderate bodily harm. Dmytruk claims that these allegations are politically motivated due to his previous pro-Russian views and support for the Kremlin-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).

Meanwhile, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) confirmed that Dmytruk had illegally left Ukraine on August 24, 2025 (without the required permit, due to martial law), crossing the border in Odesa Oblast and entering neighboring Moldova without officially passing a Ukrainian border crossing point.

From here, many raise questions regarding the credibility of Dmytruk’s claims, as they believe that it may be some sort of political retribution against Zelensky