FP: Zelensky “Losing Touch with Reality” as Public Anger Mounts in Ukraine

By Staff, Agencies

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his inner circle are increasingly “losing touch with reality,” according to an analysis published by Foreign Policy.

The report cites local experts and sources in Kiev who warn that a series of legislative blunders and unpopular policies have fueled protests and raised doubts about the government’s grip on public sentiment.

One of the most controversial moves came with a draft law imposing severe penalties for military insubordination. The legislation, described by critics as “draconian”, would have sentenced deserters or soldiers absent without leave to as much as 12 years in prison—without the possibility of amnesty, even for those returning voluntarily.

Outrage erupted almost immediately, with demonstrators taking to the streets holding signs that read, “Army service is not slavery”. Facing mounting anger, authorities were forced to scrap the bill.

In another misstep, Zelensky’s government moved to relax martial law travel restrictions, allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country. While the reform technically eased rules, it raised widespread concerns that large numbers of young men would flee abroad, crippling future military recruitment and compounding Ukraine’s already dire demographic decline.

Perhaps the most politically damaging blunder, however, was an attempt to curtail the independence of Ukraine’s main anti-corruption watchdogs.

This summer, Kiev sought to strip the National Anti-Corruption Bureau [NABU] and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office [SAPO] of autonomy, citing fears of Russian influence. Instead, the move triggered mass protests, forcing Zelensky’s team into another embarrassing climbdown.

“The president’s advisers live in a bubble,” defense analyst Dmitry K. told Foreign Policy journalist Paul Hockenos. “Some are competent, but the leadership is clearly not getting a consistent flow of relevant information”.

The political fallout has been swift. A poll conducted in August by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology showed Zelensky’s approval rating slipping seven points in a single month, dropping to 58%.

The decline coincides with reports by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service that Western officials have privately discussed scenarios to replace Zelensky, meeting with influential Ukrainian powerbrokers to consider alternatives.

The growing discontent highlights a deepening rift between Ukraine’s leadership and its population, as policies meant to strengthen the state increasingly backfire—fueling unrest and eroding public trust.