Ukraine Ex-Minister Fedorov Calls for Elections

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s recently dismissed defense minister, called for elections during wartime in a bombshell address on Tuesday evening. He said the country was facing a governance crisis and criticized wartime corruption.

Ukrainian law prohibits elections during wartime. Fedorov’s call, delivered in a video address posted on YouTube, was the first such demand from a prominent Ukrainian political figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. He argued that Ukraine should find a legal and secure way to restore its full democratic process during a prolonged war rather than allow Russia to dictate the timetable.

Fedorov, 35, was a longtime ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky until his unexpected dismissal as defense minister in July, just six months after his appointment, during which he had promised sweeping reforms.

“Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia”, Fedorov said. “We must find a legal, secure and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore its full democratic process even under the conditions of a protracted war.”

In what appeared to be an open challenge to Zelensky, Fedorov said Ukraine was facing a “systemic governance crisis”.

“The old system too often operates by its own rules. It protects itself. It fears change”, he said.

Without naming anyone, Fedorov criticized corruption in public administration, which he said had undermined Ukraine’s war effort. The former minister recently said he believed his reform of public procurement at the Defense Ministry – responsible for purchasing billions of dollars’ worth of equipment – contributed to his dismissal.

(Reuters, im)