In the space of five years Volodymyr Zelenskyy has undergone more transformations than most politicians see in a lifetime.

First he was the comedian-turned-president, then he was a wartime hero in military fatigues, and now he risks slipping into the role of embattled leader.

His public fallout with commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi has come at the worst possible time. Ukraine finds itself outgunned three-to-one on the battlefield against its Russian aggressors while the U.S., its financial lifeline, is holding out on aid.