Ukraine’s Ex-Defence Minister Urges Wartime Elections Amid Governance Crisis

Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a 35-year-old who helped reshape Ukraine’s armed forces, released a video urging the country to hold elections despite the ongoing war with Russia. The appeal came hours before the government announced that Yevhenii Khmara would become the permanent defence minister.

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Fedorov was dismissed in July, a move that sparked large protests and highlighted a rift with former army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who had also been removed by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Khmara, a former special-forces operative, was initially a placeholder and was not Zelensky’s first choice for the post. The appointment was presented by Zelensky in a video where he praised Khmara as the architect of Kyiv’s deep strikes into Russian territory and said the new minister would expand those capabilities. At the same time, Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities announced charges against an unnamed deputy chief of Zelensky’s office in a money-laundering probe; the office confirmed the dismissal of deputy head Iryna Mudra.

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Zelensky’s office framed the defence ministry change as a step toward strengthening Ukraine’s offensive capacity. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly labelled Zelensky a “dictator,” welcomed Fedorov’s call as a potential blow to Kyiv’s credibility and a possible lever for Moscow in any future settlement.

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Polls conducted since the invasion have consistently shown that a majority of Ukrainians oppose holding elections during wartime. Analysts warn that any perceived loss of governmental legitimacy could jeopardise the international aid and political backing Ukraine relies on, while the Kremlin hopes a more conciliatory Ukrainian leadership might accept a peace deal favorable to Moscow.

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With Khmara now confirmed as permanent defence minister, Ukraine faces internal political turbulence that could distract from recent battlefield successes. Observers note that the timing of Fedorov’s election demand, coupled with the anti-corruption investigation, may intensify scrutiny of Zelensky’s administration as the war enters its second year.

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