How Zelensky created a rival

President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have miscalculated.

By dismissing the widely popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, he created two problems at once: he triggered a political crisis that continues to spill onto the streets, and transformed a loyal ally into a political opponent whose popularity now rivals his own.

Public opinion has overwhelmingly rejected Zelensky's decision to oust Fedorov. According to a Rating Group poll published on July 22, 72% of respondents opposed Fedorov's ...