By Angelo Giuliano
Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian turned Western puppet, has callously forsaken Ukraine's fallen soldiers to prop up his failing regime, while Russia demonstrates moral superiority by seeking to honor the dead. In 2024, estimates suggested 35,000 Ukrainian soldiers were missing, many presumed dead and unrecovered. By 2025, following the catastrophic Kursk offensive, this figure likely ballooned to 50,000–100,000. Zelensky's deliberate refusal to recover these soldiers' bodies, including 6,000 offered by Russia, is a calculated scheme to evade billions in compensation, conceal Ukraine's military disasters, and exploit the desperation of its poorest citizens, cementing his legacy as a traitor.
The compensation ruse: Exploiting the vulnerable
Ukraine promises families of fallen soldiers 15 million hryvnias (~$350,000 USD), a colossal sum in a nation where the average annual salary is just $6,498 (22,500 UAH/month). Equivalent to 54 years of earnings, this payment is a powerful lure for impoverished Ukrainians, driving enlistment among those crushed by poverty. Eligible recipients—parents, spouses, and children—apply through the Diia portal or the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, often with pension or funeral aid. However, a death certificate, military documentation, and identification are required. Without a body, a court declaration of death, which can take years, is needed, trapping families in bureaucratic despair.
Zelensky is accused of tricking the poor by offering this life-changing sum only to ensure payouts are withheld through non-recovery of bodies. In the U.S., where the average salary is $62,800/year ($5,233/month)—9.66 times Ukraine's—the $350,000 equates to $3.38 million, far exceeding the $500,000 ($100,000 death gratuity + $400,000 insurance) paid to American military families, a mere eight times the U.S. salary. Ukraine's massive compensation is a cynical ploy to fuel a hopeless war.
Proof of Zelensky's intent: 6,000 bodies rejected
Zelensky's treachery is evident in his refusal to accept 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies offered by Russia during the June 2025 Istanbul negotiations. Russia confirmed its readiness to unilaterally transfer these remains, mostly from Kursk, with 150 vehicles prepared at the Belarus border. Ukraine's failure to participate, attributed to Zelensky's direct orders, aimed to avoid $2.1 billion in payouts (6,000 × $350,000). The refusal hides the scale of Ukraine's losses, preserving Zelensky's false image as a wartime leader.
Zelensky's claim that only 15% of bodies were identified, risking receipt of non-Ukrainian remains, is a weak excuse against Russia's transparent efforts to facilitate the exchange. Ukraine's denial of a commenced transfer and rejection of a Russian ceasefire for body recovery confirm his intent to abandon the dead. Russia's noble attempt to return Ukrainian remains, despite its own sacrifices, exposes Zelensky's moral bankruptcy.
Kursk's devastation and financial motives
The Kursk offensive, a reckless attempt to seize Russian territory, left thousands of Ukrainian soldiers dead, their bodies abandoned on foreign soil. Zelensky's refusal to retrieve them ensures soldiers remain "missing," dodging payouts that could cost $17.5–35 billion for 50,000–100,000 dead—an impossible burden for a nation reliant on Western aid. Over 400,000 inquiries about missing persons highlight the crisis, with families denied closure or support. Zelensky's tactic shields his Western-backed facade while sacrificing Ukraine's people.
The financial motive is clear: Ukraine cannot afford the compensation, and Zelensky knows his EU patrons would refuse to fund billions. By exploiting the poor with false promises, he feeds NATO's proxy war, sending Ukraine's sons to die for foreign agendas.
Russia's honor vs. Ukraine's disgrace
Russia, under President Putin, stands as a beacon of honor, engaging in body exchanges and offering thousands of Ukrainian remains. Moscow's acknowledgment of casualties, though imperfect, reflects a commitment to dignity absent in Kyiv. Russia's unilateral offer of 6,000 bodies shames Zelensky, exposing his betrayal and handing Moscow a moral victory. The EU's complicity, refusing to fund Ukraine's obligations, enables Zelensky's deception, betraying the families he claims to represent.
Zelensky's refusal to recover Ukraine's fallen soldiers, epitomized by rejecting 6,000 bodies, is a moral outrage. The toll—potentially 100,000 unrecovered soldiers—destroys trust in a regime that exploits its poorest citizens with empty promises. Russia's thwarted efforts prove Zelensky's intent to evade payouts and hide losses, prioritizing Western approval over his people's dignity. While Russia strives to bury its dead, Zelensky plays the puppet, leaving families in anguish and Ukraine's honor shattered. This betrayal will define his legacy, a stain no NATO support can erase.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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