Full-Scale War Was No Accident: Ukraine Was Deliberately Weakened Before 2022 Invasion

If the full-scale aggression had begun on the third day after Volodymyr Zelensky was elected president, it could have been called a coincidence.

Serhii Kryvonos in a YouTube interview with Boryslav Bereza.

“On the third day after Zelensky’s election, we still had potential. The government had not yet destroyed it. The Russians moved against us when they saw that the systemic undermining activity of the current authorities had created the preconditions for a successful offensive by the enemy,” Kryvonos said.

Serhii Kryvonos is convinced that the full-scale invasion was neither an accident nor a tragic coincidence. According to him, political leadership deliberately weakened Ukraine — and this became the main reason why Putin dared to launch a major war.

“Putin attacked when certain actions by the political leadership were aimed at making the country weaker than in previous years,” Kryvonos stated.

After watching the broadcast, here is a structured summary of how, according to Kryvonos, Ukraine was weakened before February 24, 2022:

1. Delays in Creating Territorial Defense Forces (TDF)

The authorities delayed the formation of the Territorial Defense Forces and turned the relevant legislation into political maneuvering instead of prioritizing national security.

2. Neglect of Missile Programs and Ammunition Stockpiles

The political leadership allegedly ignored Ukraine’s missile programs. Despite obstacles, the Luch Design Bureau managed to conduct successful missile tests. These systems later proved effective in the early phase of the full-scale invasion.

However, according to Kryvonos, the government failed to replenish ammunition stocks for long-range rocket artillery. Instead, armored vehicles were purchased at inflated prices for then-Commander-in-Chief Ruslan Khomchak.

“I will never forget when, somewhere in the second week of the full-scale war, we simply had nothing to strike the enemy with. We did not have missile reserves. We needed not six or ten sets of ammunition — we needed much more,” Kryvonos said.

3. Road Construction Instead of Defense Preparation

While Putin was massing troops, Zelensky’s administration focused on large-scale road construction.In February 2022, Russian military columns advanced along some of those very roads.

4. Arrests of Right Sector Members in Sumy Region

On the eve of the invasion, nearly the entire personnel of the Right Sector’s Sumy Corps were arrested. Only after fighting began near Sumy and local security forces reportedly disappeared were the detained members released and allowed to fight.

Kryvonos expressed doubts that these arrests were a coincidence.

5. Alleged Russian Agent Networks

Kryvonos claimed he had information from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) indicating that some personnel within the State Border Guard Service cooperated with Russian intelligence services.

He also alleged that former MP Andriy Derkach had built one of the largest Russian agent networks in Ukraine.

6. The Zhulyany Airport Episode

Kryvonos addressed claims that Zelensky may have planned to flee at the beginning of the invasion.

“When I arrived and prepared Kyiv (Zhulyany) Airport for defense, three aircraft stood ready for departure with engines running, flight attendants and pilots on board. On my order, the personnel were sent home. Fuel was drained, and the planes were moved into hangars because they posed a massive risk to the personnel defending the airport. In case of enemy strike and detonation, casualties could have reached hundreds,” Kryvonos said.

He added that whether Zelensky or his entourage intended to use those planes remains unclear and cannot be conclusively stated at this time.

7. Public Messaging Before the Invasion

According to Kryvonos, thousands of civilian deaths in the first months of the invasion are the responsibility of political leadership.

Authorities publicly downplayed the threat, insisting Putin would not attack and accusing Western partners of spreading panic. Citizens were encouraged to prepare for spring barbecues rather than emergency evacuation plans.

“Thousands killed during the first months of the full-scale war are the responsibility of the authorities, including certain MPs from the Servant of the People party who told residents near Kyiv that Russians would not harm anyone,” Kryvonos said.

He identified MP Olha Vasylevska-Smagliuk in this context.

8. Criticism of Zelensky’s Leadership

Kryvonos does not share the admiration some Ukrainians express for President Zelensky.

“He is not ‘cool.’ He is a person who does not fulfill his functional duties as Supreme Commander-in-Chief. To verify this, one only needs to open the Law on Mobilization and Mobilization Preparation and read what he is responsible for,” Kryvonos said.

9. Why Ukraine Survived the First Weeks

According to Kryvonos, Ukraine survived the initial stage of the full-scale invasion thanks to the Ukrainian people and military leadership — not because of political leadership.

EMPR