In brief
After a brief tenure as defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed last month, triggering protests in Kyiv. In a YouTube video he now urges Ukraine to hold presidential elections during the ongoing conflict, challenging President Zelensky’s authority. The call follows a period of heightened tensions between the military leadership and the presidency, amid concerns about corruption and war‑time governance. Analysts warn that organising elections under continuous missile strikes could weaken national unity and provide Kremlin propaganda fodder.
Ukraine’s ex‑defence minister calls for wartime elections
Mykhailo Fedorov, who left the defence ministry in July after only six months in office, posted a video on YouTube on Tuesday urging the country to restore a full democratic process. He said that ‘democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia’ and that “Ukraine is fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state.”
The appeal comes while Ukraine remains under martial law – a suspension of elections that the state introduced after Russia’s full‑scale invasion. Fedorov’s dismissal, which followed clashes with Army Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, sparked protests in Kyiv where activists shouted slogans calling for his return as minister and demanding a democratic reset.
President Zelensky has not yet responded publicly to the video. In a separate address, he outlined his new defence chief Yevhenii Khmara’s tasks: countering Russian aerial attacks and expanding the country’s deep‑strike capabilities inside Russia. In contrast, a source inside the presidential office called Fedorov’s election call “highly bizarre” and warned it would show a lack of realism.
Experts argue that holding elections amid missile and drone strikes is practically unfeasible and could soften Ukraine’s unity. Some commentators, including those who had backed Fedorov’s reinstatement, see the call as an attempt to destabilise the government. Others, however, view it as a legitimate critique of corruption and leadership fatigue that could catalyse necessary reforms.
Fedorov has not signalled whether he intends to run for office, but his message is clear: the nation’s institutions must out‑shine personal loyalties. The move adds a new layer to the political drama unfolding inside a country that is still fighting defenders at the front and civilians at home.
