Ukraine's ousted defense minister calls for wartime elections

Aug 18, 2026

Ukraine's former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov issues a direct challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by calling for wartime elections on August 18, 2026. Fedorov, who was dismissed in July 2026, argues that Ukraine faces a systemic crisis of governance and must restore its democratic process despite ongoing martial law. The demand follows weeks of public protests demanding Fedorov's reinstatement and comes as Zelenskyy nominates Yevhen Khmara to permanently lead the defense ministry.

Fedorov's call for wartime elections

▪Mykhailo Fedorov argued that Ukraine must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism to hold elections during a prolonged war while securing voting rights for military personnel, Ukrainians abroad, and frontline residents.
▪Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections in a video address posted on YouTube on August 18, 2026.
▪Mykhailo Fedorov stated that democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia and that Russian President Vladimir Putin should not decide when Ukrainians choose their government.

Fedorov's dismissal from ministry

▪Mykhailo Fedorov rejected alternative government positions offered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including leading Ukroboronprom, maintaining he would only return as defense minister.
▪Mykhailo Fedorov stated he believed his reforms of the Defense Ministry's procurement processes, which purchase billions of dollars of equipment, contributed to his dismissal.
▪Mykhailo Fedorov was unexpectedly dismissed from his post as Ukraine's Defense Minister in July 2026, just six months after his appointment in January 2026.

Public protests demanding reinstatement

▪The dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov sparked nationwide protests in Ukraine, with demonstrators regularly gathering in Kyiv to demand his reinstatement.
▪A public rally in support of Mykhailo Fedorov in Kyiv on August 16, 2026, drew approximately 2,000 attendees, though overall protest numbers had been gradually dwindling.

Governance crisis under Zelenskyy

▪President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's domestic popularity has waned over the past year amid allegations of corruption, government transparency complaints, and the arrest of his chief of staff Andriy Yermak in May 2026.
▪A poll by the Socis Centre for Social Research indicated that Mykhailo Fedorov would comfortably defeat President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a runoff presidential election.
▪Mykhailo Fedorov asserted that Ukraine faces a systemic crisis of governance where an old system protects itself, fears change, and harbors official corruption that harms the war effort.

Martial law electoral suspension

▪Ukrainian political analyst Artem Bronzhukov questioned the practicality of wartime elections, citing safety concerns from ongoing Russian bombardments and the displacement of millions of citizens.
▪President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that elections cannot occur during wartime, though in February 2026 he offered to hold elections in exchange for a ceasefire.
▪Ukrainian law and the country's constitution prohibit holding elections under martial law, which has been in place since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Military leadership rift with Syrskyi

▪President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially stated he dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov due to Fedorov's inability to work with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
▪Following public protests and pressure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and replaced him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi.