Ousted defense minister Fedorov calls for elections in Ukraine, challenging Zelenskyy
Mykhailo Fedorov, whose dismissal as defense minister in July triggered mass protests, has called for elections to be held in Ukraine despite the ongoing war. He argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to decide when Ukrainians can choose their government.
Mykhailo Fedorov used a video address on Tuesday evening to call for elections to be held in Ukraine despite Russia's ongoing invasion. His removal as defense minister last month triggered widespread protests against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Fedorov, a popular official credited with driving battlefield innovation, said people cannot indefinitely live without understanding the reasoning behind government decisions. He argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin should not be the one deciding when Ukrainians get to choose their government.
Legal and practical obstacles
Ukraine's constitution bars elections while martial law is in effect, which has been the case since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Even if a legal path to elections were found, voting would take place under wartime conditions — Russia bombards Kyiv with missiles and drones almost daily, continues advancing in the east and south, and is preparing a winter offensive. Fedorov acknowledged that holding elections under such circumstances would be complex, stressing the need to secure voting rights for soldiers, Ukrainians abroad and residents of frontline regions.
Moscow has a long history of trying to influence democratic processes elsewhere, and politicians friendly to Putin have repeatedly sought to portray Zelenskyy's rule as illegitimate. Zelenskyy won by a landslide in 2019 but has not faced voters since Russian tanks entered Ukraine more than four years ago.
Zelenskyy's standing weakens
Zelenskyy has faced pressure from international figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to hold elections, but has consistently maintained they cannot happen during wartime. In February he offered to hold elections in exchange for a ceasefire, but Putin kept fighting instead.
Zelenskyy's early popularity has visibly declined over the past year amid corruption allegations and complaints about the transparency of his government. Fedorov said people do not expect the state to be free of mistakes, but they have a right to the truth. Even before the controversial reshuffle, Zelenskyy appeared increasingly isolated, having lost trusted figures from his inner circle, including former chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who was arrested on corruption charges in May, which he denies.
