Ukrainian President Zelensky is once again under immense internal pressure, amid new corruption investigations which run straight through the presidential office as well as growing calls to finally hold elections despite the ongoing war with Russia.
Mykhailo Fedorov, the country's popular young former defense minister and a longtime political ally of Zelensky - who was dismissed just last month largely as a result of tensions between him and army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi - stunned Kiev's political establishment this week by issuing a video address urgently calling for a path to elections.
"We have to answer a fundamental question – how should a state function, if the war has lasted for years?" Fedorov said in the nine-minute-long YouTube video.
via Reuters"Can Russia actually be entitled to define when Ukrainians can elect their authorities next time? I’m sure it’s not. Democracy can’t be Russia’s hostage," he said.
Zelensky has long argued that martial law must stay in place, leaving no room for new elections based on the current constitution.
The 35-year-old Fedorov's message was unexpected, and is being widely seen as a stab in the back to Zelensky. Al Jazeera has noted, for example:
Since he was fired, Fedorov has repeatedly emphasized his loyalty to Zelenskyy and refused to acc
