They Have Cards: How Russia Is Preparing Pro-Russian Ukrainian Politicians for Revenge

Pro-Russians Ukrainians who had fled to Russia are suddenly becoming more visible again.

Might they be able to return to Ukraine after the Russo-Ukrainian War ends? Will they have a chance to steer the country back toward the Kremlin? Kyiv Post investigates.

Who are they? How many are there?

A significant number of pro-Russian Ukrainian figures have relocated to Russia, where they continue to receive support from the Kremlin.

The most prominent is Viktor Medvedchuk, a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He currently leads “Another Ukraine,” a puppet pro-Russian party created for him in Moscow in 2023.

Recently, Medvedchuk made headlines by commenting on US-Ukrainian negotiations, stating that there is no sense in new elections in Ukraine.

Because “any new president will be transferred by Ukrainian political society to Zelensky.” He is among those whom Moscow envisions as the head of a Ukrainian puppet state in the event of a Russian victory.

Medvedchuk supported Moscow’s interests in Ukraine for years. In the 2000s and 2010s, he launched multiple pro-Russian political projects – none of which succeeded.

He ultimately joined the pro-Russian “Opposition Platform — For Life” party, met with Donetsk separatist leaders in Belarus, and acquired three Ukrainian news channels, turning them into platforms for Kremlin propaganda.

In 2022, he was arrested by Ukrainian authorities and later exchanged for Azov Regiment officers captured by Russia in Mariupol.

However, Medvedchuk is far from alone. Other key pro-Russian figures in exile include former officials from Viktor Yanukovych’s regime who fled to Russia in 2014. These include the former president’s son Oleksandr Yanukovych, oligarch Serhiy Kurchenko, former “Party of Regions” MPs Oleh Tsariov and Vadym Kolesnichenko, public figures like Tetyana Montyan, and former politicians such as Andriy Klyuyev and Mykola Azarov.

All of them have consistently taken anti-Ukrainian stances, supported Russia, justified its war crimes, and sought opportunities to participate in a Russian occupation administration should Moscow achieve its goals in Ukraine.

The chances of collaborators and the “Trump factor”

The prospects for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine remain uncertain. On the surface, their chances seem slim – Russia’s war crimes and the devastation wrought on Ukraine have drastically reduced support for pro-Kremlin figures. Moreover, Ukraine maintains a 5% electoral threshold for parliamentary representation.

However, experts warn that the situation is not so straightforward. A segment of former Volodymyr Zelensky voters, who supported him in 2019 as a peacemaker, may be inclined to vote for candidates who promise peace at any cost.

“It is crucial to understand that pro-Russian politicians will tailor their campaign messages to different voter groups,” says Lidia Smola, a doctor of political sciences.

At least two overtly pro-Russian voter groups can be identified:

- “Zhduny”(ukr. “Those, who wait”) – Ukrainians who are waiting for Russia and are willing to collaborate with it (though they remain a small minority).

-Anti-nationalists – Those who reject Ukraine’s national identity and will be offered concepts such as a “civil nation” or “civilizational Ukraine,” which would ultimately weaken national unity and facilitate future Russian aggression.

Two other groups, while less explicitly pro-Russian, are already being targeted:

• Russified Ukrainians – Those who feel alienated in a “nationalistic” Ukrainian state, consume Russian propaganda, and are influenced by toxic Russian media.
• Russian-speaking Ukrainian patriots – Volunteers and public figures loyal to Ukraine who advocate for preserving the Russian language. Russia will attempt to exploit them to advance its agenda.

Smola said that Russia has realized it cannot win militarily, so it will attempt to destroy Ukraine politically through elections.

According to political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, Moscow does not need to win the Ukrainian presidential election – no pro-Russian candidate stands a chance. Instead, its strategy is to infiltrate parliament with small factions to disrupt governance.

“A single faction or two in parliament would be enough to destabilize the government, spark unrest, and create a pretext for Russia to claim that the opposition is being ‘repressed’ in Ukraine,” says Fesenko.

He also warns that US President Donald Trump’s envoys to Putin will play a crucial role – they must recognize Moscow’s manipulation.

“Russia will push for Ukrainian elections to be part of the peace process during negotiations with the US. Meanwhile, Ukraine insists elections should only occur after achieving a stable peace. However, Russia will demand elections as soon as possible and insist that currently banned pro-Russian politicians be allowed to participate,” Fesenko explains.

According to Kyiv Post sources, pro-Russian Ukrainian exiles in Russia are attempting to establish connections with American lobbying groups to advance their agenda to the Trump administration.

What Can Be Done?

Political strategist Vitalii Kulik stresses that Ukraine must finalize criminal cases against pro-Russian politicians collaborating with the aggressor. This would legally prevent them from participating in elections.

However, many pro-Russian politicians still operate within Ukraine, concealing their loyalties. Instead of openly supporting Russia, they will focus on promoting “peace” on Russian terms and attempting to erase the memory of war and Russian war crimes.

“Medvedchuk himself is unlikely to run for office, and Russia has not even used him in occupied territories this way. However, his network still exists – his former TV presenters and staff members may play a role in supporting Kremlin-backed candidates,” says Fesenko.

Smola warns that after hostilities end, pro-Soviet political groups will attempt to erode Ukrainian patriotism and national identity, promoting a neutralized “civilizational Ukraine” narrative – similar to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic under the USSR.

“Many former ‘Party of Regions’ figures, who now branding themselves as ‘neutral,’ will be part of this effort,” Smola concludes.