{
  "id": 1994551,
  "title": "Zelensky’s office calls former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s demand for wartime elections unrealistic",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/zelenskys-office-calls-former-defense-minister-mykhailo-fedorovs",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-19T18:49:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/08/19/zelensky-s-office-calls-former-defense-minister-mykhailo-fedorov-s-demand-for-wartime-elections-unrealistic"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A source within the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office dismissed the notion of conducting elections during the ongoing war, in response to a video address by Mykhailo Fedorov, the country's former defense minister. The source described the idea of holding elections \"amid missiles and drones as highly bizarre,\" emphasizing that it demonstrated a \"complete lack of realism.\" As of the current report, Zelensky has not yet addressed Fedorov's call for wartime elections. Fedorov, who was appointed as the defense minister in January 2026, was dismissed by Zelensky in July due to a disagreement with Oleksandr Syrskyi, the then commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces. This move sparked protests in Ukraine, leading to Syrskyi's subsequent dismissal. Yevhenii Khmara, who previously headed Ukraine's Security Service, has since assumed the role of defense minister. Meduza, the news outlet responsible for this story, adheres to strict editorial standards and ensures all translations are accurate and timely.",
  "summary": "A source in the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking anonymously to BBC News, has dismissed the idea of holding elections while the war continues, responding to a video address in which Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, called for the country to go to the polls.",
  "key_points": [
    "Zelensky's office dismisses wartime elections as unrealistic.",
    "Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections in video address.",
    "Fedorov dismissed by Zelensky in July amid disagreement."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Ex-DM Mykhailo Fedorov urges wider adoption of robotic warfare",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/ex-dm-mykhailo-fedorov-urges-wider-adoption-of-robotic-warfare",
        "published": "2026-08-19T17:58:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ukrinform - Politics",
        "title": "Zelensky outlines key tasks for new defense minister",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/zelensky-outlines-key-tasks-for-new-defense-minister",
        "published": "2026-08-19T19:07:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}