FNF&Guest&DOCS - Only one in six Ukrainians would vote for Zelensky – poll

Only 16% of Ukrainian voters would back Vladimir Zelensky if a long-overdue presidential election were held now, a survey has revealed.

According to the Zerkalo Nedeli news website, the poll conducted by the Sociological Association of Ukraine, published on Tuesday, was the first to gauge Ukrainians’ electoral preferences since the escalation of hostilities between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022.

The study found that Ukraine’s former top general, Valery Zaluzhny, is far more popular than Zelensky, with 27% of those surveyed saying they would vote for him. Zaluzhny, who was dismissed as head of the armed forces in February, now serves as Kiev’s ambassador to London.

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, who lost to Zelensky in the 2019 election, would receive 7% if the vote were held now, followed by military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov, on 6%, the poll said.

A further 15% of respondents said they do not know whom they would vote for, while 10% replied