Russian state media sources have of late been alleging a secret Western plot to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. These reports have continued through August and into September, but the scenario has obviously not come to fruition.
A prime candidate to replace him would be former chief of the armed forces, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny - who Zelensky fired last year and shipped off to London to be ambassador there. Since then, Ukraine's military has been doing even worse on the battlefield, according to The Wall Street Journal and many other reports.
Russia's TASS has claimed there's a specific plot afoot, reporting a so-called "triumvirate" consisting of Andriy Yermak (head of the Ukrainian presidential office), Kyrylo Budanov (military intelligence chief), and Gen. Zaluzhny (former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the UK), are actively working with the US and UK to replace President Zelensky with Zaluzhny.
Ukrainian media has also picked up on this, but has dismissed it as Russian wartime propaganda:
The SVR said the “conspiracy” was the underlying cause “…of the recent scandalous attempt by ‘Kyiv’s president’ to restrict the powers of the local anti-corruption mechanisms.” This was in reference to the proposed legal attempts to limit the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
But Zelensky has, under pressure from Western partners, dutifully reversed his legal move against said anti-corruption bodies.
Several reports by the end of July indicated he "backtracked" amid domestic and international criticism. Still, the Russian media reports claimed this revealed cracks in his support base, emboldening those plotting against him.
But given Zelensky's recent appearance in Paris for a collective defense conference alongside President Macron, and given he's readying a plan with NATO allies for 'security guarantees' - it doesn't seem like he's going anywhere soon.
President Putin has repeatedly called Zelensky out as 'illegitimate' - but still while in Beijing this past week indicated he's open to inviting him to Moscow for talks.
Putin caveated that this would have to be premised on real progress at the negotiating table, however. He actually appeared to throw out an open invitation, at least according to US officials who informed Zelensky of the overture.
Watch: Zelensky rejects the invite...
Zelensky countered by saying Putin should come to Kyiv, but practically speaking that's not going to happen, given it would be a security nightmare for the Kremlin, and given it would be seen as bowing to Ukraine's demands.
"He can come to Kyiv," Zelensky said. "I can't go to Moscow when my country's under missiles, under attack, each day. I can't go to the capital of this terrorist."
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