WASHINGTON

- US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken caused an uproar when he touched on the issue of managing the Ukrainian state in the event of the murder or arrest of its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, by Russia.

During a television interview with CBS, Blinken confirmed that Ukraine has a plan to continue the authority's duties if the current President Zelensky is killed.

Blinken said that "the United States wants to continue the current authority in some way to rule in Ukraine," before adding, "I don't want to go into details except that the Ukrainians have a specific plan in this regard."

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Oksana Shevel, a professor of political science and expert on Ukraine and Russia affairs at Tufts University in Massachusetts, indicated that President Zelensky "has become very important because of his steadfastness and leadership of the resistance against the invading Russian forces."

Shevel explained that Zelensky has become an important symbol for all Ukrainians and for the rest of the peoples of the world, but his disappearance will not stop the popular resistance, as it is a natural and spontaneous popular resistance.

Zelensky's safety

Talk about Zelensky's succession coincided with reports that he had survived three assassination attempts since the beginning of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

And Zelensky himself spoke about the threat to his life, and said during his virtual meeting with members of the US Congress last Saturday morning, "This may be the last time you see me alive live."

Washington and Western capitals fear that Putin will seek to overthrow Zelensky's authority by seizing Kyiv, and subsequently forming a pro-Russian government in Ukraine.

On the other hand, The New York Times quoted officials as saying that Washington provided the Ukrainian president with encrypted communications equipment to secure his movements and communications with US President Joe Biden and other world leaders.


constitutional filter

According to the Ukrainian Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament succeeds the President in the event of his death or inability to perform his duties.

Ruslan Sivanchuk has been the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada since his inauguration on October 8, after President Zelensky dismissed the speaker of the parliament, Dmitry Razumkov, who opposed him.

Sivanchuk heads the Servant of the People's party, which has a majority in parliament loyal to Zelensky.

Sivanchuk, 46, holds a doctorate in law and previously took a leadership role during the 2019 presidential election campaign that brought Zelensky to power.

Between 2019 and 2021, Sivanchuk served as an advisor to and representative of Zelensky in Parliament.

Sivanchuk agrees with Zelensky on all issues, and both adopt positions in support of Ukraine's accession to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Sivanchuk appeared next to Zelensky when signing Ukraine's application to join the union.

Sivanchuk believes in the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the values ​​on which the European Union and NATO are based.

Like Zelensky, Sivanchuk called for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

This measure, he said, "will reduce casualties among the civilian population, save the lives of innocent Ukrainian children and women, and save the world from a new nuclear catastrophe."

Since the start of the Ukrainian war, Sivanchuk has appeared in an unofficial khaki uniform like that worn by Zelensky, frequently posting pictures on social media with members of the Ukrainian resistance, delivering speeches from bomb sites, and urging the international community to take serious action against Russia.

Aside from politics, Sivanchuk is a legal researcher, university professor and member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine.


Putin candidate

On the other hand, many experts believe that if Russian forces manage to overthrow the current regime in Kyiv, a Ukrainian government headed by former President Viktor Yanukovych will be installed.

Citing a report by the online newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda", the Kyiv Independent newspaper wrote on Twitter that the Kremlin is preparing the former president for a special occasion.

⚡️Media: Putin wants to reinstate Yanukovych as president of Ukraine.

Viktor Yanukovych is allegedly in Minsk, and the Kremlin is preparing an operation to replace Zelensky with the ex-president ousted by the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014, according to Ukrainska Pravda's sources

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 2, 2022

Putin wants to restore Yanukovych, who is currently in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, as president of Ukraine.

The Kremlin is preparing to replace Zelensky and inaugurate a former president who was ousted by a popular revolution, which Putin believes Washington was behind in 2014.

Professor Oksana Shevel confirmed to Al Jazeera Net that "Putin will take care of putting a puppet person to obey him in everything, and there is no better than Yanukovych, especially since he has absolutely no credibility even in eastern Ukraine, which has a large proportion of the Russian-speaking population."