Summary
Elon Musk accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of “feeding off the dead bodies of soldiers” and falsely claimed he is “despised” by Ukrainians, echoing Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
Musk also threatened changes to X’s Community Notes after fact-checkers refuted his claims. Trump and Musk’s remarks align with Russian propaganda, prompting European leaders to reaffirm support for Ukraine.
Observers rejected claims that Ukraine is a dictatorship, emphasizing that its wartime election suspension is both legal and justified, similar to the UK’s approach during World War II.
Critics argue Musk’s stance undermines free speech and factual discourse while aiding Kremlin narratives against Ukraine.
Doesn’t really seem false by now. Zaluzhny was more popular and seemed to have some plan. Zelensky used the fact that said plan seemed a compromise worse than Ukraine can get at the time, to press Zaluzhny out. Ukraine really has spent some time postponing elections.
Also let’s remember that under Poroshenko Ukraine was having steady military preparation and buildup, Zelensky didn’t add much and Zelensky’s approach to conflict, if anyone remembers, was almost pro-Russian (as in “we just have to stop shooting and talk”, and yes, it doesn’t seem there was a better plan). Also for two weeks or more before the invasion it was in all the news that US and other governments think Russia is going to invade Ukraine.
Ukraine could have, you know, mobilized, taken this seriously.
I’m of an opinion that Zelensky initially was a Russian trojan horse for Ukraine, similarly to Pashinyan for Armenia. Except Pashinyan did his job well and Armenia is on its knees, while Zelensky kinda failed to do that because of existence of well-prepared (at that point in time) military and western support.
This may seem satanic, but since Russia is grinding to shit its own troops in Ukraine, suggesting that a government or a faction interested in their country becoming again a Russian puppet is grinding its troops intentionally too - doesn’t seem so stupid, I’ll explain why - the military is basically where most of patriotic and volunteer work went in Ukraine since 2014. It’s in some sense an institution such a government would try to damage as badly as possible.
Also notice how rumors about corruption in Ukraine’s military (not taking about the rest of the government, that part is not interesting, it’s an ex-Soviet state) have been building up slowly in correlation with that military becoming less professional and weary, because of slowly losing competent people as direct casualties, by disability or even burnout.
OK, that’s my impression.
Over 50% approval rating.
Higher than the leader of many other countries, like, er, USA.