The Kremlin stated that Ukraine's leadership is deeply divided following a call for wartime elections by the former defense minister, citing it as evidence of internal strife within Kyiv.
The Kremlin is leveraging internal political calls within Ukraine to question Kyiv's legitimacy and unity, potentially aiming to undermine international support for Ukraine and sow discord.
The Kremlin commented on Wednesday that there are deep divisions within Ukraine's leadership, in response to a call for wartime elections by the former Ukrainian defense minister. Mykhailo Fedorov stated on Tuesday that elections were necessary due to a "systemic crisis of governance" related to corruption, representing a significant internal challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy since the full-scale conflict began.
Ukraine's government has maintained that elections cannot be held while the country is under martial law and engaged in defending its territory. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently argued for the necessity of elections in Ukraine. Peskov added that without such a vote, Zelenskiy lacks the legitimacy required for direct negotiations with Russia. He characterized the Ukrainian government as "extremely heterogeneous," with some factions advocating for democracy and others not, but asserted that the legal situation aligns with Putin's repeated statements.