The leader of Ukraine’s Holos (Voice) liberal opposition party, Kira Rudik, has called for a vote of no-confidence in the government, as the Energoatom corruption scandal continues to gather momentum.

Holos is a pro-European, anti-corruption party established in 2019. In an interview with France24, Rudik expressed frustration with the government’s performance after Timur Mindich, a close associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, was accused of stealing $100mn in a kickback scheme, by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).

“It is unacceptable to have this kind of corruption in the government in the time of war,” she said. “It is impossible to have elections, but we are calling for a vote of no confidence in the government.”

Holos, once part of governing coalitions, finds itself in increasing opposition to what it describes as inertia and corruption at the heart of the state.

The push for a no-confidence vote comes amid mounting pressure on the Zelenskyy administration, and follows on from the first anti-government demonstrations after the government tried to gut the anti-corruption reforms with the controversial Law 12414 on July 22.

Zelenskiy’s ruling Servant of the People party continues to enjoy wartime dominance but faces growing internal dissent. Analysts say the demand for parliamentary scrutiny reflects deeper concerns about transparency, reform and accountability.

As bne IntelliNews reported, the press coverage of Ukraine has been turning increasingly negative in recent months as Ukraine fatigue continues to build. Zelenskiy’s image was badly tarnished by Law 12414, but it has taken a much bigger hit with the Energoatom scandal. Several international outlets have criticised Zelenskiy's growing authoritarian tendencies.

Rudik’s stance suggests Ukraine’s democratic institutions are undergoing their own stress test. Zelenskiy was already in damage control mode over the weekend, announcing a major reform and audit of the energy sector, but it remains to be seen if his initiatives will be about to placate public disillusionment with his performance.

Should a vote of no-confidence proceed, the outcome remains uncertain. With martial law still in place, fresh elections are not permitted so a successful vote will remain largely symbolic. However, it will further weigh on Ukraine’s fading drive to rally supporters to provide Kyiv with tens of billions of euros of additional aid and increase sanctions on Russia.