Peace scares them more than war.

Telegram roundup. Some clues on why POWs are being killed on both sides. Peace, forever war, and elections. A list of victims of political repression. Updates on the draft-dodging grantfeeders

Today’s roundup of Ukrainian political commentary will cover the following topics:

• A relatively exhaustive list of important political personalities assassinated, tortured and imprisoned under Zelensky’s wartime government

• The Russian and Ukrainian approaches to and motivations behind killing enemy POWs, and how it’s paradoxically related to peace and deep conspiracies. More concretely, how drone warfare makes it ‘necessary’ to kill POWs.

• Ukrainian militarists discuss peace and the need for elections. Fan favorite Tales of the IV Reich rails against Zelensky propagandists pushing for forever-war:

  • “You might think that this was written by some Al-Qaeda political officer. Or a religious commissioner of the Taliban. But no, such posts are a completely common theme for Ukrainian politicians from the ruling party.”

• But Tales also reserves some praise for the Ukrainian government, in that believes them to be living up to the ideals of Herman Goring

• Less deranged Ukrainian commentators also weigh in on peace. Kost Bondarenko gives his thought on the so-called ‘Hero of Ukraine’ Boris Johnson, Oleksandr Dubinsky speculates on the true nature of the Trump deal on Ukraine’s minerals

• And finally, where would we be without everyone’s beloved NGO grant-feeder ultranationalists and their heroic evasion of military service? Our good frontline journalist Volodymyr Boiko takes a look at the latest antics in this field.

To begin with, a useful post from Oleksandr Dubinsky, the parliamentarian imprisoned since 2023 for his role in leaks on Burisma. Quite the constellation of politically important figures/events here. If you feel curious, I recommend googling (or yandexing) any of these names, converted into Russian with chatgpt’s help. The wikipedia pages will tell you a great deal about Ukrainian politics. This post is from February 27:

List of politicians, journalists, businessmen, and officials who have been killed, kidnapped, or tortured during Zelensky’s presidency.

Denys Kireyev

Killed by SBU (Security Services of Ukraine) counterintelligence officers in March 2022; was one of the negotiators in the Zelensky-Putin dialogue in 2019; participated in financing Zelensky’s election campaign; member of the negotiation group with Russia.

David Zhvania

Blown up in his own car; was a harsh critic of Zelensky, demanded his interrogation, and was ready to provide compromising material on the authorities (videos available on YouTube).

Oleksiy Vadaturskyi

Killed by a Russian missile, a direct hit on his house; an agricultural oligarch, a partner of the Yanukovych family, and owner of a vast amount of land through the agro-trader "Nibulon."

Denys Monastyrskyi

Minister of Internal Affairs, died in an aviation crash due to GPS signal spoofing; was investigating the sale of weapons Ukraine received from allies to Chad in Africa.

Gonzalo Lira

American journalist and blogger, killed in Kharkiv’s pre-trial detention center (SIZO) under SBU orders to cover up torture and extortion; initially detained for criticizing Zelensky and Biden and mentioning Burisma.

Ilya Kiva

Ukrainian MP, close to Medvedchuk (power faction); killed by SBU operatives in Russia for "treason," which included harsh criticism of Zelensky.

Artem Dmytruk

Ukrainian MP, kidnapped by SBU officers in March 2022, tortured to extract a false confession and admission of cooperation with Russia; real reason—criticism of Zelensky’s regime; forced to flee Ukraine under the threat of assassination due to his support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

Oleksandr Dubinsky

Ukrainian MP; tortured twice in Kyiv’s pre-trial detention center (SIZO); goal—coercion into false testimony and self-incrimination in collaborating with Russia in the case of the "Russian trace" in Donald Trump’s 2020 election campaign. Dubinsky is being pressured to confess that his corruption allegations against the Bidens and Burisma were a Russian intelligence operation (similar to the Lira case).

Nestor Shufrych

Ukrainian MP; held in SBU detention on charges of collaborating with Russia; real reason—officials in Zelensky’s circle attempting to re-register his assets; also a means of pressuring Viktor Orbán, who is a close friend of Shufrych.

Viktor Cherny

Ukrainian MP; kidnapped by SBU officers, held in the SBU-run "gym" concentration camp in central Kyiv, and subjected to torture.

Yevhen Shevchenko

Ukrainian MP; kidnapped by SBU officers, held in the "gym" concentration camp in Kyiv, and tortured; currently held in Kyiv’s pre-trial detention center on treason charges—although the real reason was his personal criticism of Andriy Yermak.

Yuriy Ryabukha

SBU Colonel, Head of the SBU Legal Training Institute at the National Law University of Yaroslav Mudryi; detained in the SBU "gym" concentration camp for 160 days, tortured to extract a false confession of working with Russia, testimony against SBU, SBI (State Bureau of Investigations), Verkhovna Rada deputies, an ex-governor, and officials from Poroshenko’s administration; a key witness in the Lira case, who was also held in the "gym."

Vitaliy Gordyna

Former Ukrainian Ambassador to the CIS, Ministry of Foreign Affairs official; held in the SBU "gym" in March 2022; tortured to extract false confessions of working with Russia and accusations against others; a key witness in the case of the SBU's falsification of the "Russian trace" in Trump’s 2020 election campaign.

Vitaliy Hrushevskyi

Ukrainian MP, Doctor of Philosophy; kidnapped and held in the basement of the SBU on Askold Lane for criticizing the government and engaging in political activities; subjected to torture.