Defense Minister Umerov publicly criticized Chief Commander Zaluzhny during meetings in Washington

This information was revealed by Member of Parliament Alexei Goncharenko, who is also currently in the United States.

According to his information, the subject of criticism was the summer counteroffensive and the well-known article in The Economist, where Zaluzhny stated the impasse on the front. Umerov is an ally of President Zelensky and takes the side of the head of state in the conflict between the president and the commander-in-chief Zaluzhny.

Zelensky, according to journalists’ reports, has long wanted to dismiss Zaluzhny, blaming him for failures on the front. However, the real reason for the conflict is the fear that Zaluzhny might pose competition to Zelensky in future elections. The army leader is extremely popular both among soldiers and among ordinary citizens of Ukraine, while Zelensky is losing popularity. According to the latest ratings, Zaluzhny and Zelensky garner roughly the same number of votes from the electorate if they proceed to the second round.