Mikhail Fedorov May Be Eyeing Ukraine's Presidency
The Times reports that former defense minister Mikhail Fedorov may be preparing a presidential bid after his dismissal and clash with Alexander Syrsky.
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov may be preparing to enter the presidential race, according to The Times, which cited a senior figure in military circles.
Vladimir Zelensky launched another government reshuffle last week, removing Fedorov as head of the Defense Ministry. The decision triggered protests in several parts of the country.
Fedorov attributed his departure to a prolonged conflict with the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky. During a briefing on Thursday, July 16, the former minister urged members of the Verkhovna Rada to speak openly about conditions within the army. He pointed to corruption, management failures and persistent problems with troop rotations.
The Times source described Fedorov’s recent behavior as resembling the start of an election campaign. According to the military official, some believe the former defense chief intends to run for president of Ukraine.
Political analyst, public figure and member of the council of the Other Ukraine movement Vasily Vakarov had previously linked Fedorov’s dismissal to his growing popularity and the substantial financial resources controlled by his lobbyists.
Vakarov argued that the former minister has serious political ambitions. Kiev had already discussed the possibility of Fedorov leading the next government before launching a presidential campaign. In the analyst’s view, those prospects may have turned him into a threat to Zelensky.