Sacked Ukrainian defence minister calls for presidential election

Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for wartime elections, a move he says could pose the most significant threat to President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership since the war with Russia began in February 2022. In a YouTube video, the 35-year-old stated that democracy cannot be a tool for Russia to hold Ukraine hostage, emphasizing that the nation is fighting to maintain its status as a free European state.

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia's invasion, which suspends elections. Fedorov, who did not mention Zelensky by name, was unexpectedly removed from his post in late July, six months after his appointment. His dismissal led to protests across the country, and many believe it was due to disagreements with army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was also dismissed soon after.

Fedorov's dismissal leaves open the possibility of his future political plans, though he focused on the urgent need for a fair and secure mechanism to restore democratic processes during the ongoing war. He highlighted Ukraine's "systemic crisis of governance" and expressed fear of change, pointing to corruption as a factor harming the country's war effort.

Zelensky subsequently appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, a career intelligence official with limited political experience, to the acting defence minister position. Fedorov had previously offered his resignation for other roles in the government, including deputy prime minister for military innovation, but has now vowed to return only as defence minister.

Zelensky has been working to address the crisis surrounding Fedorov's removal and assess the consequences of his actions.