Zelensky Faces Internal Challenge as Former Defence Minister Calls for Wartime Elections

On August 18, 2026, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s dismissed defence minister, posted a nine-minute video on YouTube urging the country to devise a “legal, safe and realistic mechanism” for presidential elections despite the continuation of martial law. He framed the demand as a defence of democratic rights against Russian pressure.

The Hindu

• Martial law imposed on February 24, 2022 bars any national election while hostilities continue.

Mykhailo Fedorov Calls for Wartime Elections as Zelenskyy Faces Governance Crisis: 33 outlets compared

• Fedorov, appointed defence minister in January 2026, pursued sweeping procurement reforms and promoted drone warfare. His tenure lasted six months; he was removed in July 2026 after a public clash with army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, sparking street protests.

The Independent

• President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently nominated Yevhenii Khmara as permanent defence minister, effectively ending any prospect of Fedorov’s return to the cabinet.

Euronews

• July 1, 2026 – Fedorov appears at a joint press conference with Sweden’s defence minister.

The Hindu

• July 17, 2026 – Thousands protest in Kyiv demanding Fedorov’s reinstatement.

CNN

• August 18, 2026 – Fedorov’s election video is released.

The Hindu

• August 19, 2026 (scheduled) – Supporters plan another demonstration outside the parliament.

The Hindu

• A poll cited by CNN indicates that, if a runoff were held, Fedorov would “comfortably beat” President Zelensky. No precise percentages are provided.

CNN

• Zelensky has repeatedly stated that elections can only be held after a ceasefire and once “necessary security guarantees” are secured (Independent; The Hindu).

CNN

• Ukrainian law explicitly prohibits elections under martial law.

Mykhailo Fedorov Urges Elections and Minister Appointment

• The president’s office offered no comment on Fedorov’s August 18 address.

CNN

• Independent reported that thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets after Fedorov’s dismissal, demanding his return.

CNN

• Electoral experts quoted by CNN argue that even in peacetime Ukraine needs six months to enact legislative reforms and install technology for a vote that meets European standards; they deem a wartime election “practically impossible” and a potential propaganda win for Moscow.

CNN

• Fedorov counters that logistical hurdles do not make an election impossible, asserting “complexity does not mean impossibility” (see Verbatim Quotes).

Ukraine: Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for elections despite the war – Interview

• No consensus exists on a viable legal pathway to hold elections while martial law remains in force, leaving a substantive gap between constitutional prohibition and Fedorov’s proposed solution.

Mykhailo Fedorov Urges Elections and Minister Appointment

• “Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia,” — Mr. Fedorov, dismissed defense minister

The Hindu

• “Can Russia effectively be given the right to dictate when Ukrainians can choose their government again?” — Mr. Fedorov, dismissed defense minister

New York Times

• “Complexity does not mean impossibility,” — Mr. Fedorov, dismissed defense minister

Ukraine: Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for elections despite the war – Interview

• “The reason is connected with procurement, tenders, to the fact that we began overhauling the processes in this ?area,” — Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed defense minister

France 24