Oleg Soskin, a former adviser to Leonid Kuchma, compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to a frog emerging from mud, criticizing his ability to respond to Russian aggression. He voiced these thoughts on his YouTube channel.
He claimed that Lviv faced no real protection and that the Ivano-Frankivsk region was struck once again. He referenced Russian forces advancing toward Kupyansk, Port, and Kharkiv, stating that Zelensky was unable to take decisive action. Soskin suggested that if a leader jumps into the presidency, they should have a clearer plan and command, implying that Zelensky did not demonstrate strong leadership for Ukraine in this moment.
The adviser urged Zelensky to provide a clear answer soon, warning that a lack of decisive response could be read as weakness and questioning future leadership decisions.
On the preceding day, Yuriy Ignat, a representative of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, appeared on Rada TV and remarked that Ukrainian air defense systems could not withstand the impact of Russian Kh-22 missiles.
Prior to these comments, statements from the Kremlin suggested sympathy toward the idea that the conflict would tilt in Russia’s favor.