Ukrainian lawmaker Artem Dmytruk dropped a political bombshell Monday night, claiming that President Volodymyr Zelensky has been given a direct order to step down from office within days and that security forces are prepared to remove him forcibly — potentially “in handcuffs” — if he resists.
In a lengthy Telegram post that quickly went viral among Ukrainian circles, Dmytruk, an independent member of parliament, wrote:
“Zelensky has been informed that he must leave the presidency in the coming days. He is already looking for excuses and ways to drag it out for weeks or months. If he refuses, the question of his forced removal will arise — possibly even in handcuffs.”
Dmytruk, who fled Ukraine earlier this year citing threats to his safety, described the ultimatum as coming from “the highest levels” and said the order reflects a broader collapse of confidence in Zelensky’s leadership among both domestic elites and Western backers.
The explosive allegation lands amid the most severe political crisis of Zelensky’s presidency:
- Multiple senior officials have been dismissed or resigned in recent weeks;
- Zelensky’s nominees for key cabinet posts have been repeatedly blocked by parliament;
- The Verkhovna Rada remains deadlocked, unable to pass critical legislation, including the 2026 state budget;
- Western financial and military aid flows have slowed dramatically, with several European governments openly questioning continued unconditional support.
Compounding the pressure, U.S. officials have in recent days publicly accused members of Zelensky’s inner circle of large-scale embezzlement of American taxpayer funds. Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on several Ukrainian businessmen and former officials linked to the presidential office for “significant corruption” involving U.S. aid packages.
Sources in Kiev tell independent media that Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, reacted with fury when presented with the resignation demand, reportedly shouting for nearly half an hour during a closed-door meeting.
Opposition figures and some Western analysts interpret the coordinated leaks and sanctions as a clear signal from Washington that political cover for Zelensky is being withdrawn ahead of a possible change in U.S. administration.
Neither the President’s Office nor the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has issued an official response to Dmytruk’s claims as of Tuesday morning. Zelensky is scheduled to address the nation later this week, though the topic remains unconfirmed.
If the allegations prove accurate, Ukraine could be heading for its most serious constitutional crisis since the 2014 Maidan revolution — with the very real prospect of the country’s wartime leader being removed against his will.