Ousted defense chief Fedorov calls for wartime elections in biggest challenge to Zelenskyy

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's ousted defense minister and once one of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's closest allies, called for wartime elections in a nine-minute YouTube address on Tuesday, delivering what analysts and media organizations have described as the most direct internal political challenge to the Ukrainian president since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.cnbc+1

"Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia," the 35-year-old said. "We must find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to renew its full democratic process even in the conditions of a long war."reuters+1

Fedorov, who was abruptly dismissed in July after just six months as defense minister, stopped short of announcing a presidential bid or mentioning Zelenskyy by name. But he warned of a "systemic crisis of governance" and condemned corruption for weakening the war effort, saying the country's system "protects itself" and "is scared of change."wsj+1

A Door Closes, a Challenge Opens

The address came hours after Zelenskyy confirmed he had asked parliament to approve acting Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara as Fedorov's permanent replacement. On Wednesday, lawmakers voted 312-2 to confirm Khmara, effectively ending any prospect of Fedorov's return to the post.dw+1

Fedorov's dismissal had triggered a month of street protests in Kyiv and other cities. Demonstrators demanded his reinstatement and the removal of then-Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom Zelenskyy subsequently fired under public pressure.washingtontimes+1

A recent poll indicated Fedorov would comfortably beat Zelenskyy in a hypothetical runoff vote, according to Reuters.reuters

Protesters and Allies Break Away

Rather than galvanizing his supporters, Fedorov's election call fractured the movement that had rallied behind him. Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran and protest organizer, said Wednesday he opposed holding elections while fighting continued. "I view elections during wartime negatively," he wrote on X, adding that the protests had been "about dialogue and reforms, not about personalities."euronews

A presidential adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, offered a terse response: "The daily strikes by Russian drones and missiles provide a comprehensive answer."euronews

Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Zelenskyy's five-year term expired in May 2024, but no major political figure had publicly pushed for elections until now.aljazeera+1

Corruption Probe Adds Pressure

Hours after Fedorov's address, Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies announced an investigation into current and former officials over alleged laundering of roughly $3.4 million. Zelenskyy fired Iryna Mudra, a deputy head of the presidential office, after investigators searched her home. She has not been publicly named as a suspect.wsj+1

Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst in Kyiv, told The Wall Street Journal News Corp ↗ 2.28% that Fedorov was "demonstrating his readiness to become the new opposition leader," noting his status as a former insider could allow him to draw disgruntled officials from Zelenskyy's orbit.wsj

Yet skeptics questioned whether the gambit would gain traction. One opposition lawmaker told the Journal that Fedorov had "rocked the establishment" but predicted limited political effect given parliament's swift approval of Khmara. "Misha's on his own here," the lawmaker said.wsj