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Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister who was removed from office in July, publicly demanded Tuesday that the country hold elections despite ongoing Russian military operations. In a video statement released on YouTube, Fedorov asserted that Ukraine faces a profound institutional crisis that requires urgent democratic intervention to address.
The former official’s position represents a significant rupture with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, under whom Fedorov served as a trusted aide until his recent ouster. The statement could escalate into the most serious internal political friction Zelenskyy has encountered since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Fedorov argued that Ukraine must establish “a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism” to restart its democratic processes even amid prolonged warfare. Ukrainian law currently forbids holding elections while the country remains under martial law, which has been in effect continuously since February 24, 2022.
The former defense minister accused Ukraine’s government of systematic corruption and resistance to institutional reform. He specifically highlighted the procurement sector, where billions of dollars flow through defense purchases, claiming officials had prioritized personal enrichment over military effectiveness.
“Corruption in wartime is not merely a financial issue. It is a matter of our capability to survive and win,” Fedorov stated, emphasizing that military resources must exclusively support defense operations.
Fedorov attributed his dismissal partly to his leadership of a comprehensive overhaul of the Defense Ministry’s purchasing mechanisms. His removal triggered weeks of street protests in Kyiv, with demonstrators demanding his reinstatement, though the demonstrations have diminished in scale since their initial peak.
Zelenskyy’s office declined immediate comment on Fedorov’s remarks. The president nominated Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister in a submission to Parliament on Tuesday, according to Parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
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