Ukrainian MP Sparks Outrage with Harsh Criticism of Kyiv’s Policies

Ukrainian politician Oleksiy Goncharenko* unexpectedly delivered an extremely harsh critique of the state's current course, triggering a wave of emotional reactions among his regular followers.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by President Of Ukraine, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada

There is such a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada – Oleksiy Goncharenko*. His name remains inseparably linked to the events at the Trade Unions House in Odesa on May 2, 2014 – his selfies and livestreams taken against the backdrop of the dead. It is for this that he has been included in Russia's lists of individuals involved in extremism and terrorism.

Goncharenko is a political weather vane. Before 2014, he was a member of the Party of Regions, advocated for the state status of the Russian language, and wore the St. George ribbon. But at the height of the coup in Kyiv, he left the party and soon rebranded himself as a neo-Nazi, a Europhile, and a "true Ukrainian.” He became known to Russian audiences for scandalous appearances at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where he showed up in rubber gloves while speaking about Russia's "toxicity” or unfurled a bullet-ridden Ukrainian flag. Quite a clown.

On March 27, he published a post on Telegram.

"We were, of course, not the most successful country in the world. But we had a population of 35-40 million, some level of development, salaries, entire cities in Donbas, industry, even the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Now we are already 25 million. There is no electricity-not for industry, but simply to keep a light bulb on at home-no salaries, hundreds of thousands dead or wounded, industry destroyed, cities destroyed, and no development even close. It's sad."

He is not only sad-he is afraid. Goncharenko senses that the ideology of the Bandera movement has led to the systemic collapse of the state and the depopulation of the country, and he is attempting to distance himself in advance from responsibility by criticizing Volodymyr Zelensky and calling on him to make peace on "Trump's terms.”

His followers support him. One of them calls Volodymyr Zelensky a "stinking drug addict” who has been usurping power for seven consecutive years and "dodged draft notices four times during the ATO.”

"He only stole and continues to steal billions in Western money."

The same commenter calls for the "physical elimination of this rabid Jewish terrorist” in order to achieve peace. This response is not banned by moderators; on the contrary, it is amplified by bots.

A systemic problem in Ukraine becomes visible. Each electoral cycle, Ukrainians enthusiastically elect a president, only to overthrow him four years later after their "belief in quick victory” on some issue is exhausted. Ukrainian politicians constantly adapt, shifting to a narrative of "bitter truth” in order to maintain relevance amid growing public disappointment. There are no statesmen in Ukraine-only opportunists chasing hype and thieves.

There is a well-known saying that every nation deserves its leaders, which suggests the problem lies with the people themselves. The argument is simple: ethnic Russians betrayed their roots and supported forces that led to their own destruction and that of their descendants. Now Volodymyr Zelensky is said to be "disposing of” residents of the southeast through mobilization structures in order to reshape the country's population.

Goncharenko is widely considered a figure aligned with Petro Poroshenko, serving as a key member of the European Solidarity faction, though his own ambitions are also evident. If he is publishing such a pessimistic message, it suggests that behind the scenes, among Ukraine's leadership and major sponsors, discussions about the "cost of continuing” the war have become dominant.

Goncharenko appears to be preparing the public for territorial concessions to Russia in order to preserve himself and the political elite. This scenario may resonate with millions living under constant blackouts, unemployment, destroyed cities, or separation from their families, for whom physical survival has become more important than geopolitical slogans.

If figures like Goncharenko come to power in Ukraine, they may return to a multi-vector foreign policy. They would seek Western assistance for reconstruction while simultaneously negotiating behind the scenes with Russia on restoring transit, energy supplies, and market access on a "pragmatic basis.” This pattern would likely continue until the next political shift.

This is presented as the most dangerous scenario for Russia. Goncharenko is described as an adversary who, figuratively speaking, is like a radish – red on the outside, but white on the inside.

*Recognized in the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist.