Ukraine: Could ex-defense minister challenge Zelenskyy?

Ukraine has recently experienced political turmoil, with a prominent figure potentially challenging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mykhailo Fedorov, a former defense minister, addressed the nation through a nine-minute YouTube speech. He urged Ukraine to appoint a fully appointed minister of defense, stating that the country's systemic governance crisis, including corruption at its core, poses the main challenge.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy had proposed Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister, but Fedorov's speech may not have been aware of the ongoing corruption investigation. On August 19, Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators searched the premises of several high-ranking officials, implicating a criminal organization led by lawmakers and senior officials from the president's office. Zelenskyy dismissed Mudra, a key figure in the investigation, the same day.

Fedorov, who was dismissed as defense minister on July 15, argued that elections should be held, regardless of the ongoing war with Russia. His speech aimed to consolidate the political capital he gained during protests, which called for his reinstatement. A poll conducted by Rating opinion research institute on July 20 and 21 showed a significant rise in trust in the ex-minister, from 35% to 65%.

However, Fedorov's remarks about elections and a renewed power of state do not indicate a permanent rift with the government, according to political scientist Oleksiy Haran. Fedorov's speech reflects the desire of the Ukrainian people for a change in government, but the issue of holding elections during the war remains a challenge.