In an ironic twist of fate, this oligarch went from pulling the Ukrainian leader’s strings to having his life ruined by the same man who he thought was his puppet.
Many observers were shocked when the SBU
arrested Zelensky's former patron, oligarch Igor Kolomoysky, on charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering over the weekend. The Ukrainian leader then
thanked the security serves in his evening address "for their determination to bring every case stalled for decades to a just conclusion." This development
comes two and a half years after the US sanctioned Kolomoysky on related pretexts, thus suggesting that the latest move was endorsed by them.
His arrest is due to several converging factors that also explain why it happened at this particular time. First, the
vicious blame game that broke out between the US and Ukraine last month over the failed counteroffensive threatens to derail their relations if it isn't soon resolved.
At the core of this dispute are US accusations that Ukraine is arrogantly ignoring the military-strategic advice that it's been given. Accordingly, the US has an interest in removing those who it suspects of negatively influencing Zelensky.
Comment: Clearly Bongo has been France's man on the ground to ensure an uninterrupted raw materials such as oil for its energy needs. France also makes a profit the requirement that Gabon to use a currency printed for it by France, rather than the nominally independent country handling its own money supply. Lots of potential for French losses if Gabon, along with Niger, manages to slip out of its grasp.