“This is the biggest internal challenge yet for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In practice, though, it’s likely to lead nowhere,” CNN wrote in Wednesday’s report.
Indeed, Zelensky’s leadership may be at its most critical turning point since Russia’s invasion began more than four years ago.
The ally turned political rival
The recent intervention by the popular former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whom Zelensky dismissed some time ago, calling for elections during wartime, marks the most direct challenge to his presidency to date.
Fedorov’s criticism, delivered in a ten-minute video published Tuesday night, strikes at the core of Ukrainian governance: decision-making delays, bureaucracy, and shadows of corruption reaching the upper levels of power.
Fedorov himself is young, a technocrat, in favor of reform and modernizing the military, and was once a close Zelensky supporter. According to the Guardian, he now voices a current of discontent within Ukrainian society, made clear when his dismissal sparked ongoing protests and exposed deeper cracks in both the military and leadership.
After his dismissal in late July, Fedorov initially kept his criticism limited, hoping for either an agreement with Zelensky or a reversal of the decision, according to his associates. But several rounds of negotiations went nowhere.
The corruption scandals
The next day, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) searched the home of Iryna Mudra, deputy head of the president’s office, as part of a broader investigation into an energy sector scandal that now reaches the government’s top ranks.
Shortly after the investigation was announced, Zelensky issued a decree dismissing Mudra, without offering an explanation.
NABU accused Mudra and other members of Zelensky’s team of involvement in laundering 150 million hryvnia (3.4 million dollars) in illicit proceeds through the country’s central bank.
The case involves an alleged scheme by former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko and other close Zelensky associates to demand kickbacks from companies with contracts at Energoatom, the state nuclear energy agency, charges Halushchenko denies.
What does this mean for Zelensky’s future?
Despite the pressure, Zelensky for now still holds significant trust levels, around 60% according to recent Kyiv Independent polling, though the picture looks nothing like the period of total unity in 2022, when his approval reached 90%.
Opinions differ on Fedorov’s momentum. Some analysts believe his status as a former minister could let him draw in disgruntled officials from the president’s inner circle, strengthening his position as a rival at a moment when the president appears relatively weakened.
Others remain skeptical that this move will translate into broad support. An opposition lawmaker told the Guardian that Fedorov “shook the establishment,” but predicted limited political impact.
Still, CNN notes the real question isn’t political but institutional: can elections actually happen? The answer is essentially no. Martial law prohibits holding them, and the practical conditions, millions displaced, soldiers on the front, occupied territory, ongoing bombardment, make a credible election process nearly impossible. Even with the political will, it would take months of preparation and, above all, a basic level of security that simply doesn’t exist right now.
For his part, Zelensky has repeatedly said he’s open to elections. When US President Donald Trump claimed last year that Kyiv was “using the war” to avoid elections, Zelensky responded that Ukraine would be “ready for elections” within two to three months, provided allies guaranteed the country’s security.
Either way, international media suggest that Zelensky may remain politically safe for now, since he still lacks a universally accepted rival, while institutionally he’s protected by the wartime framework. Socially, though, the wear is visible, and calls for renewal are growing.
