Former Ukrainian PM Azarov Gives Thoughts on Maidan Coup

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov stated in an interview with Sputnik that it has become evident that as far as Ukraine is concerned, the EU has failed to become a viable substitute for the Russian market a decade after the 2014 Maidan coup.

"Over these ten years, we can say that Ukraine has degraded and, in fact, collapsed. If we talk about the standard of living, it cannot even be compared with 2013, because food prices have skyrocketed: from five to thirty times and higher," Azarov stressed.

In this vein, he recalled that Ukraine’s real gross domestic product (GDP) currently does not exceed $60 billion (compared to $175 billion in 2013).

"The Kiev regime distorts all official data and blatantly lies. They claim, for example, GDP is $175 billion, nearly the same as it was in 2013. So does that mean that GDP doesn’t depend on anything? The trick here is very simple, they include all grants and substantial assistance received as part of their GDP calculation," he explained.

When asked what the Kiev regime will do if US funding suddenly stops, Azarov suggested that it would go bankrupt.

"It’s clear. Ukraine has already turned bankrupt since 72% of its budget consists of grants, loans and various assistance from as many as 54 countries. They provide Kiev with huge sums," he said, referring to $7.5 billion and $8 billion that Ukraine received from Norway and Japan, respectively.

Separately, Azarov touched upon the European Commission’s plans to make Ukraine’s army and its military-industrial complex part of the EU’s military capabilities, which he said is "an absolutely unrealistic scenario."

"The powerful military-industrial complex of Ukraine was once part of the USSR, and it could as well have been part of the EU. It could, but it won't because the main components of this complex have been destroyed," the former Ukrainian prime minister pointed out.

He also dwelt on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to postpone Ukraine’s presidential elections, a move that Azarov said had been made out of fear of losing his position.

"The decision is illegal, and on May 21, 2024, he becomes a nobody. Because his term of office as president expires, the Constitution of Ukraine does not provide for any term extension. If the Constitution does not provide for it, then you become a nobody. You can invoke anything: martial law, war. By the way, he did not declare war. Formally, officially, there is no war. So why was the election postponed? Only because of one thing - the fear of losing this election," Azarov emphasized.

When it comes to the elections, he added, Zelensky "will really lose them," yielding to former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny “or anyone else,” according to the former prime minister.

"Just like Zelensky previously prevailed over [Petro] Poroshenko, who in five years discredited himself so much that even Zelensky was able to beat him during the presidential elections. Now the situation is exactly the same. Therefore, the decision to postpone the vote is absolutely illegal and it creates conditions when any act by the president becomes illegal amid the expiration of his powers," Azarov concluded.

Maidan Coup

The Euromaidan protests kicked off late in 2013, with protesters demanding that the government of then-President Viktor Yanukovich sign an association agreement with the European Union.

The ensuing clashes between protesters and law enforcement eventually led to the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014, who fled the country, and the subsequent snap presidential election, which resulted in Poroshenko becoming the new head of state.

Analysis

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This was followed by mass protests in Donbass against the actions of neo-Nazi radicals in Kiev and discrimination of Russian-speaking citizens. The protests prompted then-acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov to announce the beginning of an “anti-terrorist operation” against supporters of Donbass independence in April 2014.

Ten Years On: Ukraine Collapsed After Maidan Coup – Former PM Azarov

Maidan Coup