Fedorov calls for wartime elections in Ukraine after dismissal as defense minister

Challenge to wartime governance

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov released a video address on YouTube calling on the national government to establish a formal framework for holding presidential elections during wartime. Fedorov questioned how the state should operate if the armed conflict with Russia continues for two or three additional years, arguing that Moscow must not be allowed to dictate Ukraine's political calendar. His public intervention presents a direct challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky as the country navigates prolonged conflict and domestic political tension.

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

Electoral requirements and governance critique

Fedorov acknowledged that organizing wartime voting presents severe logistical difficulties, but maintained that complexity does not mean impossibility given Ukraine's past resilience. He stated that any legal mechanism must guarantee balloting rights for active military personnel deployed at the front, millions of displaced citizens abroad, and residents in frontline regions. Fedorov underlined that institutional independence, election security, and public trust in final results remain mandatory conditions. He also warned against administrative stagnation, observing that citizens cannot endure indefinite uncertainty regarding stalled reforms and government deliberations that delay necessary resources for frontline units.

It is particularly dangerous when society perceives that the main criterion for a person's appointment is not their professionalism, results achieved, or ability to change the country, but personal loyalty to the system.

Government reshuffle and ministerial confirmation

The political challenge follows Zelensky's decision to dismiss Fedorov from his post as defense minister during a cabinet reshuffle. Official statements attributed the dismissal to strained working relations between Fedorov and then-commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was also relieved of command shortly afterward. Fedorov subsequently rejected offers from Zelensky to take on other government roles, while street protests emerged across Ukraine to contest his removal. The Ukrainian parliament is now preparing to vote on confirming interim defense minister Yevhenii Khmara to the permanent ministerial role following months of public dispute.

Parallel strikes and international friction

The internal political dispute coincided with widespread military exchanges across the region. A Russian missile struck the village of Pechenigy in Kharkiv, killing 10 people and injuring 18, prompting Zelensky to demand increased allied pressure against Moscow. Russian officials claimed that Ukraine launched 791 drones overnight targeting locations across Russia, Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas, including 620 aimed at the Moscow region, where three people were injured. An attack in Energodar near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant left one dead and 15 wounded, while a Greek tanker loaded with Russian crude from Novorossiysk was hit in the Black Sea. Additionally, Moscow accused the United Kingdom of direct involvement in the war over British drone shipments to Kyiv.