On Wednesday, the Kremlin declared deep divisions in Ukraine’s leadership. This was its first reaction to the call by a former Ukrainian defense minister to hold elections during the war.
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Tuesday that elections need to be held as Kyiv faces a “systemic management crisis” due to corruption. Reuters called this statement the biggest internal challenge for President Volodymyr Zelensky since the start of the full‑scale war.
Ukraine’s position and Kremlin statements
The Ukrainian government has long stated that it cannot hold elections under martial law and wartime conditions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated the need to hold elections in Ukraine. According to him, without such a vote, Zelensky lacks the necessary legitimacy for direct negotiations with Russia.
“The Ukrainian authorities and the political environment surrounding them are extremely heterogeneous. We see that many there, naturally, are trying to fish in troubled waters,” Peskov said.
He added: “Some refer to democracy and democratic norms. Others do not even try to do this. But de jure the situation is exactly as President Putin has repeatedly stated.”
Source: The Straits Times
