Dismissed Ukrainian defence minister urges presidential vote during the war
Dismissed on 15 July, the 35-year-old former minister called for elections despite martial law that suspended voting after Russia's 2022 invasion.
Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Ukrainian minister of defence who was removed from office by President Volodymyr Zelensky on 15 July, has urged that presidential elections be held even while the country remains at war — a move many see as the most serious political challenge to Zelensky since Russia's February 2022 invasion.
In a video posted on YouTube, the 35-year-old Fedorov said, "Democracy must not be held hostage by Russia," and stressed that Ukraine fights "precisely because we want to remain a free European country." The country is under martial law since the start of the invasion, which has suspended elections.
Fedorov did not name Zelensky in the video. His dismissal came unexpectedly: he was relieved of his duties only six months after taking up the defence portfolio. President Zelensky has not publicly responded to Fedorov's appeal, and the removal triggered protests across the country.
Supporters and tensions inside the command
Backers of Fedorov credit him with injecting new energy into the defence ministry, leading anti-corruption efforts and introducing routine, detailed analysis of frontline data to improve wartime performance.
Observers link his dismissal to reported tensions with the armed forces' top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi himself was replaced weeks later after protests in support of Fedorov grew and pressure on the president increased.
Fedorov gave no indication in the video of personal political ambitions; instead he focused on the need for "a lawful, safe and real mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore the full democratic process even under conditions of prolonged war." He warned of a "a systemic crisis of governance," said the country "is afraid of change," and singled out corruption as a factor that undermines military efforts. He has been offered other government posts, including deputy prime minister for military innovations, but the 35-year-old says he would return only as minister of defence.
Photo: MOU / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
