Sacked Ukraine Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime presidential election

Ukraine faces its most severe internal political crisis since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022, following a bombshell video address delivered on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, by recently ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. In the recording posted to YouTube, the 35-year-old politician called for the establishment of a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism to hold wartime presidential elections, marking the first time a major political figure has issued such a challenge to Volodymyr Zelensky since the conflict started.

Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia, Fedorov said in the address, as reported by Dailymirror.

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Under Ukrainian law, holding elections during martial law is strictly prohibited. While Fedorov did not explicitly name Zelensky in his remarks, he condemned a systemic crisis of governance and argued that the nation's leadership is scared of change and overly protective of an entrenched political system. His intervention follows his unexpected dismissal from the Defence Ministry in July, just half a year after taking the portfolio, where he had vowed sweeping technological reforms and data-driven procurement overhauls.

Reporting by Abc notes that Fedorov was the last remaining member of Zelensky's initial 2019 cabinet. His abrupt firing exposed a bitter rift between the tech-savvy minister and then army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, over differing strategies for the war. Public outrage swiftly followed his removal, triggering street demonstrations in Kyiv. Although Zelensky initially defended the dismissal by citing friction between Fedorov and military leadership, mounting pressure forced the president to oust Syrskyi shortly afterwards, as detailed by Aol.

Protests supporting the ousted minister have persisted for weeks. Demonstrations outside the Ukrainian parliament featured citizens chanting for his reinstatement and expressing frustration with the political status quo, according to Dailymirror. Although Fedorov has stopped short of confirming whether he intends to run for the presidency himself, a recent poll cited by Abc indicates he could comfortably defeat Zelensky in a hypothetical runoff vote.

The call for an election has sharply divided Ukrainian lawmakers and civil society. Speaking to Dailymirror, pro-presidential MP Oleksandr Merezhko condemned the proposal as very dangerous and unrealistic, warning that it would weaken national unity and play directly into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Conversely, opposition MP Volodymyr Aryev backed the intervention, accusing the administration of detachment and asserting that the country had reached a point where it must choose between elections and chaos.

Public opinion remains deeply sceptical about the logistics of wartime voting. A survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology revealed that a majority of Ukrainians believe elections should wait until hostilities cease, particularly with hundreds of thousands of troops stationed on the front lines, millions of citizens displaced internally, and substantial refugee populations living overseas.

Fedorov's announcement coincided with parliamentary confirmation hearings for his replacement, acting defence minister Yevhenii Khmara. Khmara, a former top special forces operative and the mastermind behind deep drone strikes into Russian territory, was advanced to the permanent role following weeks of unrest. His appointment occurred against a backdrop of wider administrative turmoil, including anti-corruption investigations into high-ranking government figures.

What to watch next

• Parliamentary confirmation proceedings for Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara.
• Further responses from President Volodymyr Zelensky's office regarding the electoral demands.
• The trajectory of ongoing street protests in Kyiv and public sentiment surrounding the governance crisis.
• Broader developments across the European world coverage theater as military operations and political pressures intersect.