Fedorov emerges as a potential political rival to Zelensky
Fedorov emerges as a potential political rival to Zelensky newspress_en Sat, 08/22/2026 - 05:41 Opinion At a time when Ukraine appears to be making significant progress on the battlefield in its long-running war with Russia, mounting concerns suggest that its recent military success could be seriously undermined by the deepening political rift at the highest levels of the Ukrainian government.…
Mykhailo Fedorov, former Ukraine defence minister, has emerged as a potential political rival to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The deepening political rift between Fedorov and then-commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, following Syrskyi's opposition to Fedorov's modernisation efforts, contributed to Zelensky's decision to dismiss Fedorov last month.
This move sparked a national outcry, and Fedorov has now declared his intention to call for a general election to restore a full democratic process in Ukraine. Despite the war and other challenges, Fedorov argues that democracy should not be held hostage by Russia. Recent opinion polls show that Fedorov's trust rating has surged from 35% to 65% since his dismissal, with 72% of Ukrainians opposing his removal.
However, Zelensky remains steadfast in his refusal to hold elections during wartime, citing the ongoing Russian drone and missile attacks and concerns over the feasibility of elections amid the displacement of Ukrainians.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
