Former Ukraine Wartime Chief Calls for Elections Amid War

By Aurax Radio | August 19, 2026 | 2 min read

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections to be held despite the country’s ongoing war with Russia, making the first such demand by a major Ukrainian political figure since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. His call presents a new political challenge for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Fedorov was abruptly removed as defense chief last month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attending an official meeting in Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces a new political challenge after former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for elections during the war.

Fedorov made the appeal in a video address Tuesday, saying Ukraine should develop a legal, secure and practical system for restoring the democratic process during the prolonged conflict. He argued that voting should be possible while protecting the rights of Ukrainian soldiers, citizens living abroad and people in frontline areas. Fedorov, 35, had been a close Zelenskyy ally before his dismissal after about six months as defense minister, a move that triggered protests and intensified tensions within Ukraine’s military and political leadership.

Ukraine has not held national elections since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, with martial law preventing elections from taking place. Zelenskyy’s five-year presidential term formally ended in May 2024, but Ukrainian law allows him to remain in office until a successor is elected and assumes the presidency. Fedorov’s intervention puts renewed attention on how and when Ukraine could hold a vote, particularly while fighting continues and millions of Ukrainians remain displaced or outside the country.

The former defense chief did not announce a presidential candidacy, but his call comes amid growing political attention surrounding his dismissal and his criticism of Ukraine’s governance. Fedorov has accused the government of failing to move quickly enough on reforms and corruption and has argued that Ukraine needs to renew its political institutions. The president’s office had not publicly responded to his election demand at the time of the reports, leaving the proposal facing significant legal and logistical obstacles under existing wartime restrictions.

Sources: Reuters, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian and CNBC.

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