Skip to content

Ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime elections

politicsAug 19, 202628792

Ousted Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov called Tuesday for Ukraine to hold presidential elections despite the ongoing war with Russia, saying in a YouTube video "Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia" and urging a "legal, safe and realistic mechanism" to restore full democratic processes. Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia invaded in February 2022, a status that currently prohibits elections. Fedorov, who was fired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in mid July after a feud with General Oleksandr Syrskyi, sparked weeks of protests from thousands of people objecting to his removal. In the video Fedorov acknowledged logistical difficulties, including how to enfranchise soldiers, people near the front and Ukrainians who fled, but said complexity did not make elections impossible. Before his ouster Fedorov helped pivot Ukraine toward drones and robots and was credited with increasing Ukraine's strikes deep into Russia tenfold. Parliament has since moved to appoint Yevhen Khmara as defense minister, setting up a direct political confrontation between Fedorov and Zelenskyy's administration.

Christopher Miller
@christopherjm.ft.com

Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has launched a sweeping political broadside against Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warning the president that rampant corruption is undermining the country’s ability to fight Russia and calling for extraordinary wartime elections. www.ft.com/content/7bf7...

8312h ago
Shaun Pinner
@shaunpinner.bsky.social

VOICES UNFILTERED 🇺🇦 For weeks, Fedorov let the political vacuum work for him, then came YouTube. Calling for wartime elections and a “systemic crisis of governance” changes everything. With the Rada set to move on, has he just shot himself in the foot? shaunpinner.substack.com/p/fedorov-ca...

403h ago
3 sources