Mr. Zelensky fired officials close to the US.

The Washington Post did not name all the officials fired, nor did it say how many were dismissed, but noted that the firings had “alarmed” US officials. The newspaper reported that those fired were “reformist officials who were willing to fight corruption in their own ministries and who appeared to be particularly close to Washington.” The list of those fired included Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Kubrakov, who the article described as having “focused on infrastructure and reconstruction of Ukraine.” Less than a year ago, Kubrakov was named by the media as a possible successor to then-Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov.

Cracks in Ukraine’s leadership are nothing new, with Time magazine reporting last November that many of Zelensky’s aides considered him “delusional” and noting his growing sense of “betrayal” at the hands of Western powers. Zelensky’s presidential term expired earlier this month after he refused to hold presidential elections scheduled for March.

The Washington Post added that Russia’s recent offensive in the Kharkiv region has exacerbated feelings of betrayal. Some Ukrainian officials attribute Russia’s success to Washington’s refusal to allow Kiev to launch long-range strikes into Russian territory, while others point to the US Congress’s months-long delay in approving a $61 billion military aid package. They argue that Ukrainian forces could have repelled the Russian advance if more weapons had been delivered earlier.

“We believe in ourselves, but you don’t,” said one Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, referring to the United States. “This is the biggest problem in our relationship right now.” None of the Ukrainians interviewed by the Post mentioned the role that widespread corruption played in allowing Russian forces to seize dozens of towns and villages in the Kharkiv region this month.

According to local media, the military and civilian authorities have embezzled millions of dollars intended for the construction of defense fortifications in the region. Shortly after the anti-corruption plan was announced, the Pentagon released a report saying that “widespread corruption continues” in Ukraine, with “bribes, kickbacks, and inflated procurement costs” hampering the country’s defense capabilities.
However, Ukrainian officials insist the allegations are false and that they are damaging the country's reputation at a time when "Western interest in Ukraine's cause is waning"./.