Fedorov's call for wartime elections cools the crowds that once marched for him

In mid-August, a video address by former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov set off a wave of debate. Posted on August 18 — a day before Yevhen Khmara was named the new defense minister, and after more than a month of protests in Kyiv and other cities demanding Fedorov's return — the video argued that Russia had effectively gained control over when Ukraine could next hold elections, and called for a legal, safe mechanism to resume democratic processes despite the ongoing war.

Fedorov did not specify whether he meant presidential or parliamentary elections. Polling from March 2026 shows only 12% of Ukrainians favor holding elections before fighting ends, and even Zelensky's rivals, including former commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny, avoid raising the topic publicly, saying it is premature under martial law.

Fedorov also addressed corruption, saying that in wartime stolen funds translate directly into shortages of drones, ammunition, and evacuation vehicles for the wounded. He described a systemic governance crisis without naming individuals responsible, though the video showed portraits of former President's Office chief Andriy Yermak and Servant of the People faction leader David Arakhamia while he spoke of the old political system.

A source close to the President's Office told Meduza that Fedorov's ratings have grown enough that he could pose a serious challenge to both Zelensky and Zaluzhny in an election. Still, the address baffled many of his own supporters and journalists; social media quickly filled with memes, and commentators called the video staged and vague, comparing Fedorov to a widely mocked Kharkiv politician from a 2007 viral clip.

The protests demanding Fedorov's reinstatement began July 16, using cardboard signs that gave the movement its nickname, and drew thousands in Kyiv by late July. After the video's release, turnout at these rallies declined. Zelensky has repeated that wartime elections would be a "tsunami that would split Ukraine apart," and has said Fedorov's dismissal followed a serious rift with then-commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi over the division of authority between the defense ministry and military command.