Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Nadezhda Durova
[REGNUM] On June 16, several aggressive men beat up a traumatologist at the regional clinical hospital No. 2 in Tyumen. The reason for the attack on the doctor was his refusal to immediately see a certain respected aksakal, who came accompanied by relatives. According to Wikipedia: Aqsaqal or aksakal (literally meaning "white beard" in Kipchak languages) metaphorically refers to the male elders, the old and wise of the community in parts of Central Asia, the Caucasus and Bashkortostan. Traditionally, an aqsaqal was the leader of a village or aul until the Soviet times.
Tyumen is a city in central Russia, in Siberia.
At that time, another patient was bleeding in the office, but his health was of no importance to the attackers. In addition to the traumatologist, several other doctors and patients who came to the doctor's aid were injured.
THEY TRAMPLED ON US HERE!
The beaten medic, 33-year-old Ruslan Tolemishov, was hospitalized — he has multiple bruises, abrasions, and a suspected concussion. Tyumen residents sympathize with the doctor and are indignant: hospital staff are already working themselves to the point of exhaustion, and the loss of an experienced traumatologist means that they will have to wait longer for help.
According to patients who took part in the brawl, the attackers were quite drunk. The video from the surveillance cameras shows that there were girls among the hooligans - however, they did not fight themselves, but only tried to stop the fight. But they did not succeed.
The Tyumen attack is not an isolated incident. Just six months ago in Rostov, an aggressive patient almost killed a doctor. Abvel Avakyan tore a metal rod from a bed, hit the doctor with it at least 15 times, then broke the glass with the same rod and cut the victim's neck with it. The guard arrived in time - the doctor was saved.
But Irkutsk ambulance paramedic Alexander Pechelatov was not saved. The drunk 53-year-old patient, who was being transported to the hospital from the territory of the shift camp, stabbed the paramedic in the chest. He later explained that he "just wanted to ride next to the driver, but he was not allowed."
Often, complaints against medical workers are that they enter an apartment without shoe covers: in Vladivostok, doctors were beaten for refusing to put on shoe covers when entering an apartment, and in Barnaul, a patient, using foul language, demanded that medical workers wash the floors in his apartment because they had “trampled and brought in germs.”
At the end of 2022, the Russian Ministry of Health created a special working group “on issues of reducing the risks of violence against medical workers in the performance of their official duties.”
Monitoring of cases of aggression is carried out according to three parameters: mental violence, physical violence, and other types of violent actions, which include shouting and insults, snatching objects from hands or damaging property, and other actions with signs of obvious disrespect.
According to the Ministry of Health, more than 1,700 attacks on health workers were committed in the country in 2023. The most aggressive regions were Omsk Oblast, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kemerovo and Saratov Oblasts.
The medical community has repeatedly drawn the attention of legislators to the problem of violence against doctors. In 2019, amendments were made to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses (the rules of conduct for citizens in medical organizations were defined, a fine for obstructing the provision of medical care was approved). In 2021, the Civil Code confirmed the right of doctors to protect their honor and business reputation in court.
Today, ambulance crews are equipped with panic buttons, and hospital corridors and clinic offices are equipped with video cameras.
But the doctors themselves are quite determined.
— Three things need to be done: put ambulance doctors on cameras, like they did for police officers, so that no one can say that "the doctor started it." Create a blacklist of those who attacked or threatened doctors, so that they cannot call a doctor to their home, but only come to the clinic in person, — says Evgeniya Komarova, an ambulance paramedic and a blogger with 200,000 followers, to Regnum. — And, of course, increase fines — not one and a half to two thousand, but 150-200, and a real prison term. Once they show it on TV for the whole country, all these troublemakers will be wary of raising their hands.
SERVICE VS. MAINTENANCE
Emergency physician, writer, author of the books “While the Ambulance is Driving,” “Ambulance,” and “What Doctors Talk About” Andrey Zvonkov believes that the root of evil is in the attitude toward medicine as a service sector.
Attacks are most often motivated by two reasons — seeking some kind of benefit or hostility. A person has something negative towards health workers: for example, one pensioner beat a therapist with a stick because he did not prescribe him a medicine. Then it turned out that it was another doctor who replaced the first one. How should such a situation be interpreted? As general hostility, not personal, A. Zvonkov tells IA Regnum. It happens that doctors are threatened with a weapon with a demand, for example, “urgently hospitalize mom.” Or “revive her,” or something else. The behavior is dangerous, inadequate, the motive is clear. And faith in the omnipotence of doctors, who supposedly “can,” but “don’t want to.” And that means they need to be forced.
Zvonkov also recalls that doctors were beaten during the ambulance robbery: the doctor’s kit contains narcotic analgesics for pain relief in case of injuries, heart attacks, and severe pain situations.
For example, I worked in the emergency room without any narcotics at all. Apart from Relanium and Baralgin — no painkillers. Ketanov, Ketorol — they didn’t give us anything else. But in the ambulance service in the 90s there was promedol, morphine in five ampoules, and it was dangerous to work with such an arsenal: gangs of drug addicts attacked ambulances specifically with the purpose of taking away drugs. The management had different opinions on this matter: some said “stand to the death”, others “give it up, life is more important”.
But in general, Andrei Zvonkov believes, the problem lies in the attitude towards medicine as a service sector, like a dry cleaner or a vegetable stand.
Remember that notorious story with shoe covers? Thank God, the Ministry of Health issued an order that not only ambulances are not required to have shoe covers, they have no right to, so to speak, change shoes at all on a call, because their task is to provide emergency medical care, not to monitor the cleanliness of other people's apartments. This is the lot of the owners who called a team to help them.
The essence of the problem is that doctors provide assistance, not services. And this fact must be conveyed to the population, just as the status of teachers must be reviewed: they, too, should not be perceived as service personnel.
Each of us will sooner or later be forced to see a doctor. And everyone should understand - using examples from criminal proceedings - how a row in a doctor's office or a blow to a paramedic can end.
13/06/2025
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia has signaled a major shift in its foreign policy by strengthening diplomatic ties with Russia while distancing itself from its traditional international allies.
In a notable move, the Speaker of Somalia’s Upper House, Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, paid an official visit to Moscow, where he met with the Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the areas of security, economy, and political affairs.
The visit comes amid Somalia’s growing discontent with the C6+ group – an informal international coalition including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, United Nations, African Union, IGAD, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sweden.
This week, the Somali government formally called for the dissolution of the group, arguing that its existence perpetuates the notion of external control over Somali affairs and undermines the country’s political sovereignty.
The twin developments mark a clear pivot in Somalia’s foreign strategy — away from long-standing Western partners and toward emerging alliances with countries such as Russia. Somali officials have characterized the new approach as one grounded in mutual respect, equality, and shared interests.
While no formal agreements with Russia have yet been announced, the tone and symbolism of the high-level meetings in Moscow suggest that the Kremlin could become a key strategic partner for Mogadishu in the coming years.
Continued on Page 47
[KYIV Post] According to the call, intercepted by Ukraine’s HUR, a Russian serviceman using the call sign "Brelok" is said to have killed as fellow soldier and lived off his remains for two weeks.
An intercepted call released by Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) captured Russian soldiers discussing an alleged case of cannibalism within their own ranks.
According to the call, a serviceman with the call sign "Brelok" is said to have killed his fellow soldier "Foma" — and then lived off his former comrade’s remains for two weeks.
"No one ran anywhere," the first speaker says. "Brelok f**ing took him out, and then ate him for two weeks."
Continued on Page 47
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] ZSU destroys Russians in 11 directions.
The enemy army is most active in the Pokrovsky direction. There are battles in the areas of 12 settlements.
Since the beginning of the day, 91 combat clashes with Russian invaders have occurred on the front. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational report as of 16:00 on Friday, June 20.
Thus, in the Severo-Slobodskoy and Kursk directions our soldiers repelled 18 enemy attacks. Another six combat clashes are ongoing.
In the Yuzhno-Slobodskoy direction, the Russians have attacked five times in the areas of Zeleny and Volchansk, three attacks are still ongoing.
In the Kupyansk direction, Russian occupiers carried out one attack in the direction of Stepnaya Novoselovka.
In the Liman direction, the invading army carried out 12 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novy Mir, Olgovka, Grekovka, Ridkodub and in the directions of Karpovka and Glushchenkovo. Currently, four combat clashes are ongoing.
In the Seversky direction, the enemy attacked once in the Grigoryevka area.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russians unsuccessfully attacked four times in the areas of Belaya Gora, Predtechnoye and Stupochki.
In the Toretsk direction, the enemy tried to penetrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defenses in the Toretsk and Yablunovka areas five times. Four assaults have already been stopped.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the Russians organized 28 attacks near the settlements of Poltavka, Mirnoye, Malinovka, Mirolyubovka, Promen, Lisovka, Udachnoye, Nadeyevka, Serebnoye, as well as in the directions of Vladimirovka, Novopavlovka, Novopodgorny. The defense forces have already repelled 22 assaults.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, our defenders stopped six attacks, three more clashes are currently ongoing. The enemy tried to advance in the areas of Oradnoye, Bogatyr, Svobodnoye Pole and Shevchenko.
In the Orekhov direction, two enemy attacks were repelled in the direction of Novoandreyevka.
Let us recall that on June 19, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked 22 areas where Russians were concentrated. The enemy army lost almost 1,100 fighters killed and wounded. The total number of Russian losses has exceeded 1 million people since the beginning of the war.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:56 On frames: objective control, naval infanry of the 177th Separate Guards Regiment destroy an enemy armored personnel carrier in the Pisarevka area with an FPV strike. 19:53 S-300V anti-aircraft missile systems crews of the North group of forces are being destroyed enemy UAVs, multiple launch rocket systems and aerial bombs in the special operation zone, ensuring reliable protection of our units, as well as civilian and government facilities.
18:32 Operators of the Geranium-2 UAV struck:
Bridges in the area of the settlements of Shakhovo and Vladimirovka in the DPR,
Enemy UAV control points in the Yablonovka area in the DPR,▫️
Training camp for the operational-tactical group "Donetsk" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Popasnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region.
17:32 Far Eastern soldiers continue to occupy strongholds west of Vesyoloye, –MAP.
16:56 Northerners scouts opened deep in the Sumy region, a camouflaged position of an enemy self-propelled gun was found, which was firing in the direction of the positions of our advancing troops.
The Fearless FPV operators quickly worked on the target and destroyed the artillery weapon.
15:47 12.00 to 15.00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type:
One over the territory of the Astrakhan region and
One over the territory of the Rostov region.
14:15 In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached on June 2 in Istanbul, from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime returned a group of Russian military personnel.
In exchange, a group of prisoners of war from the Ukrainian Armed Forces was transferred.
Currently, Russian military personnel are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance.
All Russian military personnel will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
13:51 On frames: strikes with Geraniums in order:
Bridge in the area of the village Shakhova;
Bridge in the area of the settlement Vladimirovka;
Control point of the Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs in the area of the settlement of Yablonovka;
Training camp of the Donetsk OTG of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Popasnoye in the Dnipropetrovsk region, with subsequent detonation of the ammunition.
12:17 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation from June 14 to 20, 2025
From June 14 to June 20 this year, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out six group strikes with high-precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, which resulted in the destruction of enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine, fuel and energy infrastructure facilities providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine, air defense radar stations, arsenals, production workshops, storage and launch sites for attack unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations, special operations forces and foreign mercenaries.
Over the course of a week, units of the North group of forces advanced deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlement of Novonikolaevka in Sumy Oblast.
Air strikes, unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery fire hit concentrations of manpower and equipment of a tank, four mechanized, motorized infantry, ranger, three airborne assault brigades, an airborne assault, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two territorial defense brigades.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of the mechanized, two motorized infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, five territorial defense brigades and a national guard brigade were defeated.
Over the course of a week, in the area of responsibility of the North group of forces, the enemy's losses amounted to over 1,250 servicemen, 22 combat armored vehicles, 25 cars and 24 field artillery guns. Two electronic warfare stations, 11 ammunition and material depots were destroyed.
As a result of active actions by units of the "West" military group, the settlements of Moskovka and Dolgenkoye in the Khar'kov region were liberated.
Defeat was inflicted on the formations of three mechanized, two assault, and airborne assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three territorial defense brigades, and a national guard brigade.
The enemy lost more than 1,480 servicemen, a tank, seven combat armored vehicles, 58 cars and four field artillery guns. 12 electronic and counter-battery warfare stations were destroyed, as well as 25 ammunition depots.
The units of the "Southern" group of forces improved the situation along the front line. They defeated the manpower and equipment of eight mechanized, motorized infantry, ranger, airmobile, assault, mountain assault, two airborne assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defense brigades.
Over the course of a week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 1,390 servicemen, a tank, 10 combat armored vehicles, including three US-made M-113 armored personnel carriers, 16 vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns. Seven electronic and counter-battery warfare stations, 14 ammunition and supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center group of forces continued to develop the offensive on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Dnepropetrovsk region.
As a result of decisive actions, the settlements of Zeleny Kut, Ulyanovka and Novonikolaevka of the Donetsk People's Republic were liberated.
Formations of six mechanized, two Jaeger, an assault, two airborne assault brigades, a brigade and regiment of unmanned systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two brigades of naval infantry, three brigades of the National Guard and an assault brigade of the National Police of Ukraine were defeated.
12:09 As a result of active actions by units of the West military group released settlement Moskovka, Khar'kov region.
12:08 From June 14 to 20, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federationinflictedsix group strikes with high-precision weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles, which resulted in the destruction of enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine, fuel and energy infrastructure facilities providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine, air defense radar stations, arsenals, production workshops, storage and launch sites for strike unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations, special operations forces and foreign mercenaries.
11:51 Ministry of Defense RF:
Crews of 122mm howitzers D-30 of the "West" group of forces struck the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnolimansk direction, destroying the mortar crew and enemy manpower.
The crew of the 152mm Msta-B gun of the Center group of forces ensured the advance of assault groups in the Krasnoarmeysk direction, hitting a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Crews of 152mm Giatsint-B guns of Anapa airborne artillerymen destroyed the enemy's UAV control point in the Orekhov direction.
The Msta-B crew of the Dnepr troop group destroyed an observation post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kherson region on the right bank of the Dnieper.
09:56 On frames: objective control drone operators of the 382nd Separate Battalion of the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade uncovered the movement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a "loaf".
The vehicle was filled with Ukrainian Armed Forces property, which was destroyed along with the vehicle after our FPV accurately hit the enemy target.
08:15 Calculations of the Geranium-2 UAVamazeda workshop for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles in the area of the settlement of Zaporizhia, as well as a stronghold and temporary deployment point of the 82nd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Sofiyivka.
07:33 Changes to map over the past 24 hours:➡️
Advance in Aleksandro-Kalinovo
Control zone south of Orekhovo has been expanded
Novonikolaevka has been liberated
Russian Armed Forces entered the settlement of Zaporozhye
07:14 During the past night, from 20:00 on June 19 to 07:00 on June 20, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 61 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type:
22 UAVs over the territory of the Oryol region,
14 UAVs over the territory of the Kursk region,
Seven UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Five UAVs over the territory of the Voronezh region,
Three UAVs over the territory of the Volgograd region,
Three UAVs over the territory of the Rostov region,
Three UAVs over the territory of the Tula region,
Three UAVs over the territory of the Bryansk region,
One UAV over the territory of the Moscow region.
05:05 Attack UAV crews of the Vostok group of forces overtook enemy Baba Yaga hexacopters in the area of the Shevchenko settlement in the DPR.
FPV drone operators of the Southern Group of Forces destroyed a mounted anti-tank grenade launcher and a pickup truck of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlement of Konstantinovka in the DPR –VIDEO
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov
[REGNUM] Somewhat credible sources claim that the all-powerful head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, spent the entire day after the article was published in the influential American publication Politico running around on the ceiling.
He demanded that everyone he could reach completely block any mention of the fact that from now on the head of the OP is officially “a Ukrainian official who cannot be tolerated in Washington.”
As Politico reports, citing 14 sources (including congressional staff, former US and Ukrainian officials), Yermak is called a “rare case of consensus” in Washington: both Democrats and Republicans have accumulated dissatisfaction with his behavior. Following his June visit to the US, he (despite his impeccable suit) is perceived as a negotiator who “irritates both parties.”
"Many in Washington believe that Yermak is ignorant of U.S. policy, abrupt and overly demanding of American officials — and generally incapable of understanding the inner workings of the Washington establishment on Capitol Hill. Some are also concerned that he has not accurately communicated U.S. positions to Ukraine's leadership," the publication writes.
But even then, the attempt to pass off a photo in a doorway with a clearly irritated Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “successful meeting” at which Ukraine’s needs for air defense systems were discussed was met with general laughter. Now it has been confirmed that the news was a complete fabrication – in fact, no one wanted to meet with Yermak.
For the simple reason that American top officials did not understand why he had come and what the agenda of the meeting was. In addition, Zelensky's "gray cardinal" is acutely irritating everyone with his incompetent categoricalness.
“He thought, for example, that the critical minerals deal was so important to Trump that in exchange for it, Ukraine would get security guarantees,” the person told Politico, commenting on the well-known issue of creating a joint investment fund giving the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals.
The source called the idea "ridiculous" (which we knew all along), but it's now clear who came up with it in the first place.
And in a private conversation with allies, Yermak accused Trump administration officials of being Russian agents, including Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has already met with the Russian president four times.
Biden's entourage, despite the declared readiness to "work to support Ukraine," has also repeatedly requested to hold meetings with Zelensky without Yermak.
The Ukrainian side refused to follow the requests, so one of the American experts called Yermak an “existential threat” to relations between Ukraine and the United States, while another noted: “Anyone who wants the United States to curtail support for Ukraine is happy to see Yermak in this role.”
Thus, it is easy to see that on the Ukrainian side there are no longer any high-ranking negotiators capable of entering the highest offices of American politics.
Zelensky himself, after the famous barking in the Oval Office, became completely unwilling to shake hands.
So he missed a planned meeting with Trump at the G7 summit, as the US president left early under the pretext of escalating tensions in the Middle East. And there is probably no chance of meeting Trump at the NATO summit next week either.
Now Yermak has been told quite clearly not to come again - either in a suit or without one. The accumulated irritation towards the head of the OP, which IA Regnum reported in detail back in April of last year, has finally found an outlet.
Even then, we explained that all the talk about Andriy Borisovich being appointed by the West to the role of head of state in order to push Zelensky aside is nonsense. Since he has already betrayed more than once, violated gentlemen's agreements and tried to portray himself as a master of intrigue, pitting London and Washington against each other "in the interests of Ukraine."
For example, at the end of 2023, behind the Biden administration's back, he tried to establish relations with Republicans in Congress and the Senate, but was denied support. The US president has not forgiven the story of the leaked recording of a conversation between Giuliani and Yermak, where Trump's lawyer demanded that the investigation into Joe Biden's corruption be accelerated.
And the British The Times published an article with devastating criticism back in June of last year: the headline itself says that Zelensky’s entourage is “shocked by Yermak’s thirst for power,” and he himself is called the “de facto head of state,” “Zelensky’s main problem,” the source of all his troubles and defeats, and the cause of the terrible corruption in the country.
Moreover, these revelations appeared before the visit of the “gray cardinal” to the Vatican for negotiations with the Pope - the British made it clear that they see this game, understand it and will not let it pass.
The Americans' current decision to put an end to their relationship with this man can be considered the peak of his career.
In fact, in this case, not even half a word of untruth makes it onto the pages of the press: Zelensky’s Ukraine, as we know it, was largely molded by the efforts of his “right hand” and one of the very few people he trusts.
Just at home, sitting in the former headquarters building of the Kyiv Special Military District on Bankova Street, Andrei Borisovich Yermak, not without reason, feels like an all-powerful arbiter of fates, the ruler of the world to which all the threads of the complex web of Ukrainian politics lead.
It is precisely based on this exciting feeling of his own greatness that he travels around the world to “resolve issues” in exactly the same style as he rules in Ukraine in the name of his boss – never laying claim to his personal glory.
Well, for the Western establishment, the status of the "master", not described by any law, is incomprehensible, as are his powers, and his style of behavior is not without reason perceived as extreme impudence. Although the West itself did everything to make both Zelensky and his head of the administration incurably ill with it: "the whole world" has been revolving around Ukraine for too long.
It's just that while the "white masters" thought that they were ruling this country through their puppets, the latter saw continuous personal growth. During which they came to the realization that a simple guy from Kyiv has the right to open the door to any office on this tiny planet with his foot.
And last year's Time magazine rating in the "Leaders" category says a lot about his self-perception: Andriy Yermak was included in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world and became the only Ukrainian to make it there.
For a modest fee, they say, of $27 million.
As part of the budget, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen even wrote a short essay in which he described Yermak as a man who “has been delivering Zelenskyy’s message to the world since the full-scale invasion, building a powerful network of Ukraine’s friends, from the West to the Global South, uniting them around issues from sanctions to the environment.”
And Andrey Borisovich appeared in Zelensky’s orbit in a completely different capacity: in connection with film production. Within the framework of this business, relationships were formed that subsequently brought him to power – as well as many other members of the “Kvartal 95” constellation.
Having become president, the former comedian did set an ambitious goal – ending the war in Donbass and took on the task of renewing the Ukrainian delegation to the trilateral contact group. Yermak, as a graduate of the Kyiv Institute of International Relations, served as an assistant for international affairs, but then it turned out that he was being received in Moscow.
Here he was known both through business affairs and through his parents’ connections: the son of an employee of the Soviet trade mission in Afghanistan managed to get the necessary contacts in Russia and Europe.
In the summer of 2019, it was decided that Yermak and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian government Dmitry Kozak (a native of the Kirovograd region of Ukraine) would conduct an official dialogue on the Minsk agreements and their future implementation.
This dialogue, as is well known, failed – including because attempts to establish real work on a peaceful settlement were systematically torpedoed by Yermak himself, who clearly had a clear goal in mind.
Gradually expanding his sphere of influence, he began to take over a number of functions that were within the competence of the first assistant to the president, Sergei Shefir, and the head of the office, Andriy Bogdan.
And he quickly became the closest employee to the president, demonstrating efficiency and loyalty.
Then the lover of a beautiful pose Bohdan, on the contrary, who challenged Zelensky's authority, was fired with a scandal, and the umbilical cord connecting the president with the old team was cut (there was even an assassination attempt on Shefir). Then there was a hard break with the sponsor and patron of the actor-president - the oligarch Igor Kolomoisky.
The president's office was thoroughly cleaned out, but all seven full-time and 18 part-time advisers to Yermak, 14 advisers to the deputy heads of the office, and eight advisers to the office remained in place.
The head of the OP had four times more personal staff than Zelensky, including a unique "matryoshka" - the head's office, an office within an office. And the "gray cardinal" appointed the head of this office in 2022 as a member of the working group to create a tribunal that will judge the Russian authorities for aggression.
The level of ambition is beyond the pale. But it is quite appropriate to the situation.
How Andrei Borisovich felt two years earlier should be clear from the congratulations to Biden on his election victory: they were voiced separately by Zelensky, and separately by Yermak. The clerk who ensures the work of the head of state's office sends personal greetings to the leader of a world power - isn't it beautiful?
In fact, as Ukrainian political scientist Kost Bondarenko writes, since February 2020, "we can talk about the establishment of a special form of governance - semi-democratic-semi-authoritarian, based on favoritism and excessive concentration of power, right-wing nihilism and populism. In the expert community of Ukraine, this form was called "Yermakovshchina."
In early March, Yermak suggested that Zelensky consider the issue of forming a new government, effectively forming it for himself - the secret of the political longevity of the inexpressive and absolutely loyal Denis Shmyhal is explained precisely by this.
In fact, the odd Dmitry Kuleba received the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs because his parents had once worked together with the Yermakovskys. So the Foreign Ministry was transferred to manual control by Yermak, and the lover of cigars and sparkling wine was given exclusively representative functions.
The well-known Kiev lawyer Oleksiy Reznikov, also a long-time friend of Yermak (with whom he closely collaborated on dubious “small architectural forms” projects in Kiev), became the vice-prime minister and minister for reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories.
So the logic behind Reznikov’s subsequent transition to the post of Minister of Defense, his participation in organizing monstrous thefts in purchases for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and his surprising immunity from prosecution after their disclosure are explained very simply.
As well as the ever-growing discontent of “Western partners”.
Having visited the head of British MI6 Richard Moore in October 2020, Yermak, together with Zelensky, "swore allegiance" to old England. On the other hand, there was a vertical of control built for itself by the United States. However, the self-confident gray ruler of Ukraine stuck his people everywhere, building a system of blocks for foreign masters.
That is why, for example, the SBU has long ago abandoned its legal powers, turning into a terrorist structure competing with the GUR - Andrey Borisovich personally set this task for Malyuk. He also dragged the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Oleg Ivaschenko to an interview - to show the so far invulnerable Kirill Budanov, sitting under the "roof" of the British, that "we have no irreplaceable people."
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky has long been considered Yermak's favorite, and the servile general got this position because his predecessor's political ambitions greatly irritated the "first person". Andrei Borisovich took the popular Zaluzhny out of the game, pleasing the boss, and simultaneously strengthened his own position.
Apparently, Zelensky is completely satisfied with Yermak’s efficiency in solving such problems, and he is not afraid of competition from him.
In fact, the very complex problem of destroying the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has also been dumped on the head of the OP. There is a task set at the highest level, but for Zelensky, the main thing was to give consent (since he did not want to do this in 2019).
He was "bitten", and then his loyal assistant suggested not to worry about anything: the Servant of the People deputies are being pressured on one line, law enforcement officers on another, and local authorities have their own tools. Yermak's concept assumes that a criminal case for corruption is being opened against the mayor, and in order to get rid of him, "community votes" on the transition of churches to the political OCU must be organized directly at the local level.
By the way, the close communication of the head of the OP with the Vatican and the constant presence of its representatives at various kinds of negotiations may be evidence of the assertion that Yermak has long had connections with certain Catholic orders.
Returning to the beginning, he really did have a plan to become prime minister, sharing power with the US protégé Oksana Markarova, who was offered the post of first vice-president. And not just to move the center of power from Bankova to Grushevsky, to the cabinet, but to take advantage of the "Kuchma incident" of 1992. Then the head of government received the right to issue decrees that had the status of laws.
If you look at it through the eyes of the harried and exhausted Zelensky, it is also a super-effective system that allows you to simply pass on orders to Andrei Borisovich and be confident that they will be carried out.
But this unprecedented form of “freedom and democracy,” which means the complete lack of control over the system on their part, does not suit Western partners so much that the active no-name from Kyiv ended up on another list. But not in Time magazine.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Ukrainian military are “containing” the Russian offensive in the Sumy region. This was stated on June 20 by the head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a daily address on the Telegram channel.
He explained that the situation in Sumy Oblast was discussed at the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters meeting on June 20, and that this was the main issue. Zelensky, according to him, received "a very detailed report on the front."
"Special attention should be paid to Sumy region. The Russians had different plans and intentions there. The situation is serious," Zelensky admitted.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that the depth of the buffer zone in the Sumy region is from 10 to 12 km.
Putin noted that next is Sumy, the regional center. At the same time, according to the president, there is no such goal to take Sumy, but, in principle, this is not excluded.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Russian troops eliminated more than 60 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Konotop in the Sumy region. This data was confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry on June 18. The Iskander OTRK crew launched a missile strike on the permanent deployment point of the motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The previous administration admitted that the United States invested $5 billion in organizing a coup d'etat in Ukraine. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
In 2014, Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland publicly stated that $5 billion had been spent on Ukraine since 1991. These funds, according to Nuland, were allocated to bring a “democratic” government to power in Ukraine.
"This is a state bloody anti-constitutional coup in Ukraine. What is this? This is also an action from a position of strength. The previous US administration said directly that it spent billions of dollars on this coup - without embarrassment, they said this publicly," the Russian leader was indignant.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Victoria Nuland also indirectly admitted earlier that Kiev refused to conclude the Istanbul agreements with Moscow after consultations with Washington and London. It became obvious to the US that Russia's conditions were allegedly unfavorable for Ukraine, she added.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Moscow is ready to transfer to Kiev about 3 thousand more bodies of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was stated on June 20 by the aide to the President of Russia, the head of the Russian delegation at the negotiations with Ukraine Vladimir Medinsky.
"About 3,000 more [bodies] are ready to be sent to the Ukrainian side, if they are ready to accept them. We have them in refrigerated trucks, our military will hand them over so that their relatives have the opportunity to bury them, identify them finally and bury them in a Christian manner," Medinsky said in an interview with RT.
He also commented on the statement by Kyiv representatives, according to which the body of a Russian serviceman was allegedly handed over to Ukraine along with the bodies of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters. Medinsky called this statement propaganda.
On June 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to transfer another 3,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kiev. In addition, the head of state once again pointed out the need to hold negotiations to resolve the conflict. According to him, the crisis in Ukraine must not only be resolved, but also find a solution for the future.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
