Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov calls for wartime elections

Wartime democratic process

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, for authorities to prepare the ground for national elections despite the ongoing Russian invasion. In a video address published on YouTube, Fedorov marked the first time since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022 that a prominent Ukrainian political figure has called for holding wartime ballots. The move represented a shift in tone for the former minister, who had previously adopted a conciliatory stance and claimed an ongoing dialogue with President Volodymyr Zelensky during public demonstrations demanding his return. Ukrainian martial law, which has remained in effect since the start of the invasion, currently prohibits holding presidential and parliamentary votes. Fedorov insisted that national governance must not remain suspended during a protracted conflict.

Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. We are fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state. Thus, we must find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even in the midst of a prolonged war.

Logistical challenges and governance criticism

The former minister addressed the specific legal and practical complications that have stalled Ukrainian electoral planning throughout the conflict. He identified several hurdles, including securing voting rights for military personnel serving on the front lines, facilitating balloting for citizens living in active combat zones, and organizing turnout for millions of Ukrainian refugees displaced abroad. President Zelensky had previously presented these same logistical barriers as the primary justification for postponing presidential elections under martial law. Fedorov maintained that these obstacles can be resolved through dedicated planning rather than indefinite postponement.

Complexity does not mean impossibility. Ukraine has done many times what the world thought impossible. We can find a solution here too.

Fedorov also diagnosed a broader systemic crisis of governance within the Ukrainian state, arguing that public confidence requires clearer accountability. He stated that citizens need to understand executive decision-making during wartime.

People cannot live indefinitely in a state in which they do not understand why certain decisions are made.

Ministerial reshuffle and public protests

Fedorov was originally appointed defense minister in January 2026 at age 35 to implement administrative and organizational reforms across the Ukrainian armed forces. He spent six months in the post before President Zelensky dismissed him in mid-July. The dismissal triggered a wave of public demonstrations across Ukrainian cities that continued into August. That unrest contributed to Zelensky's decision to replace army commander Oleksandr Syrsky, who was widely regarded as Fedorov's political and institutional rival.

Hours before Fedorov published his address on 18 August, Zelensky submitted his proposed cabinet appointments to the Verkhovna Rada. The president nominated Yevhen Khmara as Defense Minister and Andriy Sybiha as Foreign Affairs Minister, leaving parliament to confirm or reject both candidates. Fedorov did not disclose specific details regarding his next political moves during his speech, though he had previously declared on multiple occasions that he would only agree to return to government if reappointed as defense minister.