KYIV — Ukraine's former defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, publicly called for wartime elections Tuesday, mounting the sharpest challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Fedorov, 35, released a video statement asserting that "democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia" and that Ukraine is fighting to "remain a free European state." He did not name Zelensky but advocated for a return to democratic electoral processes.
Fedorov's demand comes one month after his unexpected dismissal from the defense ministry, a post he held for six months. His removal prompted protests across the country, exposing public discontent.
Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022, a legal status that suspends all elections. The framework has kept Zelensky in office beyond his constitutional five-year term, which ended in May 2024.
Zelensky has faced international pressure on elections. Both the U.S. and Russia have called for a vote. Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Ukraine was using the war to avoid elections, claims many Ukrainians saw as echoing Putin's effort to undermine Zelensky's legitimacy.
Zelensky previously indicated Ukraine could hold elections within 60 to 90 days if allied nations provided security guarantees.
Ukrainian political analysts have cited significant logistical obstacles to holding fair elections during active warfare: securing polling stations during Russian bombardment, and enabling millions of refugees and hundreds of thousands of frontline soldiers to vote safely.
Zelensky did not directly address Fedorov's call. In a video message Wednesday, he focused on tasks for the newly confirmed Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara, including strengthening defenses against Russian air attacks and expanding Ukraine's deep-strike capabilities in Russian territory.
A source in the presidential office rejected the election proposal. The source told the BBC it was "highly bizarre to plan elections amidst missiles and drones" and described the proposal as demonstrating "a complete lack of realism."
On Wednesday, a Russian drone strike on a minibus in the southern city of Kherson killed four people. Buses and minibuses in Kherson have been frequent targets of Russian attacks in recent months. In the central city of Zhytomyr, a Russian drone strike on the regional police headquarters killed two police officers and injured 20, a local official confirmed.
Internally, Ukraine's two anti-corruption agencies announced a special operation targeting current and former members of parliament and an unnamed official within the presidential office. Hours after the disclosure, Zelensky's office confirmed the dismissal of deputy head Iryna Mudra following a raid at her premises.
