Right - the UP quote names "one of Zelenskyy's close associates", not Arakhmiya. Since Arakhmiya is explicitly quoted elsewhere in the article (and the different UP article it links to as a source for those quotes, in Ukrainian, does not include anything resembling the quote in question) -- that strongly suggests it was never his characterization in the first place.

All I can say at this point, and which I feel I'm entitled to, is: "Now let that sink in". (Can't delve into Nuland angle right now, maybe another day).