{
  "id": 1821323,
  "title": "Ousted Ukraine defense chief Fedorov calls for wartime elections in challenge to Zelensky",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ousted-ukraine-defense-chief-fedorov-calls-for-wartime-elections-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T23:12:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-905934"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former defense minister, has called for wartime elections in a video address, presenting a significant challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is the first such demand from a prominent Ukrainian political figure since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Fedorov, a longtime ally of Zelensky until his unexpected dismissal from the defense ministry in July, made his call in the wake of a series of protests demanding the sacking of the former commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The law in Ukraine prohibits holding elections during wartime. However, Fedorov argued that democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia and proposed a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism for Ukraine to renew its democratic process even in the conditions of a long war. Fedorov, who was 35 at the time of his dismissal, had been a long-time ally of Zelensky until his firing, during which he publicly criticized Syrskyi, arguing that he was an old-guard military commander blamed for heavy troop losses. A recent poll suggests that if he were to run in the presidential election, Fedorov would comfortably beat Zelensky in a runoff vote.",
  "summary": "While Fedorov did not say in his address that he would compete in any election, a recent poll indicated the ex-minister would comfortably beat Zelensky in a runoff vote.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}