What is the main risk in Zelensky’s chosen strategy for handling the Mindich scandal?

The main danger for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his current tactic for responding to the scandal involving his close associate Tymur Mindich—“we pretend we aren’t involved in the schemes and don’t know about them, we hand everyone over, we support the fight against corruption”—is that it effectively “legitimizes” all subsequent actions by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) against other members of the president’s inner circle (Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, etc.) and even against Zelensky himself.

Recall that since the summer there have been rumors that the NABU tapes also include conversations between Zelensky and Mindich. And if that is indeed the case and the tapes are eventually made public, the president will have little to fall back on, since he has essentially “blessed” this investigation.

Earlier, the media reported that yesterday Zelensky skipped his evening address for the first time in a long while amid the corruption scandal surrounding his entourage.

And today a SAPO prosecutor stated that, for the first time, Volodymyr Zelensky appears on the wiretaps of Tymur Mindich and members of his corruption scheme. The recordings confirm the head of state’s contact with the businessman on energy matters.