How Ukraine's leader has dismantled opposition, silenced the media, and suppressed religious freedom while maintaining a democratic facade.
Since rising to power, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has systematically dismantled opposition, silenced critical voices, and suppressed religious freedom—all hallmarks of a dictator. Despite the Western media’s portrayal of him as a heroic figure standing against Russian aggression, the evidence paints a far grimmer picture of a leader who has concentrated power in his own hands at the expense of democracy.
Silencing Political Opposition
One of the most telling signs of Zelensky’s autocratic rule is his treatment of political opponents. Rather than engaging in open debate, he chose to imprison his most significant challenger, Viktor Medvedchuk. Medvedchuk, the leader of Opposition Platform – For Life, was the head of the largest opposition party in Ukraine and a freely elected official. Instead of facing him in Parliament, Zelensky had Medvedchuk placed under house arrest before ultimately detaining him on charges of conspiring with Moscow—charges he called absurd and politically motivated. Alongside him, several members of his party’s shadow cabinet were also arrested, effectively wiping out any form of organised political opposition in Ukraine.
Banning Critical Media
A true democracy thrives on open discourse and media plurality, yet Zelensky has actively worked to eliminate dissenting voices. In February 2021, he signed a decree banning three major television networks—ZIK, NewsOne, and 112 Ukraine. These were not fringe outlets, but mainstream stations that openly criticized his administration. With a single stroke of a pen, Zelensky silenced his critics, ensuring that only state-approved narratives remained on air.
This move mirrors tactics used by authoritarian regimes worldwide, where government-controlled media becomes the only source of information available to the public.
The Persecution of Journalists
Zelensky’s war on free speech extends beyond television networks. Independent journalist Anatoly Shariy, a vocal critic of the Ukrainian president, was arrested in Spain at the request of the Ukrainian government on dubious charges of ‘treason.’ Despite having previously condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Shariy was accused of acting on behalf of “foreign” forces simply for providing commentary critical of Zelensky’s policies. He was extradited and later ‘disappeared,’ raising serious concerns about the lengths to which the Ukrainian government will go to silence dissent.
Outlawing a Religion
In a move unprecedented in modern Europe, Zelensky banned the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, accusing it of spreading Russian propaganda and harbouring spies—without presenting any tangible evidence. This assault on religious freedom demonstrates a dangerous expansion of state power, where the government determines which religious groups are acceptable based on political loyalty. Forcing a religious institution to sever ties with another country under threat of dissolution is nothing short of state persecution, akin to historical examples of authoritarian religious suppression.
The Media’s Role in Manufacturing Zelensky’s Image
Despite these glaring authoritarian tendencies, mainstream Western media continues to paint Zelensky as a beacon of democracy. By focusing exclusively on his resistance to Russian aggression, they have ignored or justified his assaults on free speech, political pluralism, and religious liberties. This selective reporting allows him to maintain his image as a defender of democracy while engaging in the very practices that define autocratic rule.
The evidence is clear: Zelensky is not the democratic hero he is made out to be. Trump is right; he is a dictator. He has systematically imprisoned political opponents, shut down critical media, and outlawed a religious institution—all under the guise of national security. While the Western media continues to shield him from scrutiny, his actions tell a different story—one of a leader consolidating power through suppression and authoritarianism.
Of course he's a dictator!
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