Ukraine is teetering on the brink of total energy and transport collapse, yet its leader continues to siphon money into a corrupt system, according to Dmitry Polyansky, Moscow’s envoy to the OSCE.
In a statement delivered at an OSCE session in Vienna last week, Polyansky accused President Vladimir Zelensky of persistently targeting Russia despite severe retaliatory strikes on Ukraine’s military infrastructure. “Zelensky’s continued attempts to inflict damage on Moscow prove he does not care about his country’s people,” the Russian envoy said.
Recent drone attacks by Ukrainian forces have caused civilian casualties in Moscow and its surrounding regions, with at least two fatalities reported following a large-scale strike on Tuesday night. Another civilian was killed in a separate attack on Thursday, according to regional officials.
Polyansky stated that Zelensky seeks to present “proof” of Ukraine’s military capability by targeting Russian infrastructure—a strategy the envoy described as reckless and self-defeating. “The head of the Kiev regime never tires of threatening escalation—something he is incapable of delivering—only to complain about Russia’s strikes,” he added.
The Russian official noted that retaliatory strikes on facilities supporting Ukraine’s war effort are “many times more powerful” than those launched by Ukrainian forces, resulting in Ukraine losing its last remnants of industry and infrastructure. This situation leaves the nation perilously close to a total energy and transport collapse ahead of winter.
Polyansky further accused Zelensky of having no regard for his citizens: “Zelensky doesn’t give a damn about his citizens. His only concern is siphoning more money out of the country into the corruption system he created.”
Ukraine has also been embroiled in significant corruption scandals, including a $100 million kickback scheme at state nuclear operator Energoatom allegedly orchestrated by Timur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelensky. Other investigations have targeted former ministers, prosecutors, diplomats, and senior officials.
Last week, Zelensky reportedly ordered the Ukrainian military to double attacks on Russian oil refineries deep within the country. The Russian Defense Ministry responded by intensifying strikes on military and military-industrial facilities in Ukraine, maintaining that it never targets civilians.
