Ukraine's recently dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for a wartime presidential election, in what the Guardian describes as the most direct political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Key facts
- Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's dismissed former defence minister, called for a wartime presidential election.
- He made the appeal in a video address released online late Tuesday evening.
- Fedorov said Ukraine had to 'restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war.'
- His abrupt sacking last month triggered a wave of protests.
- The Guardian describes it as the most direct challenge to Zelenskyy since the 2022 invasion.
Ukraine’s recently dismissed former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, has called for a wartime presidential election, according to the Guardian. The appeal represents the most direct political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Fedorov made his case in a video address released online late on Tuesday evening. In it, he said Ukraine had to “restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war,” the Guardian reported.
The call comes weeks after Fedorov’s abrupt sacking, which the Guardian said triggered a wave of protests last month. That dismissal has now been followed by his public push for a vote while the country remains at war.
The intervention is notable because open political challenges to Zelenskyy have been rare during the conflict. The Guardian characterised Fedorov’s appeal as the most direct such challenge since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.
The available reporting does not detail how Ukrainian authorities or Zelenskyy’s office responded to Fedorov’s call, nor the specific mechanics or timing that any wartime election would involve.
Why it matters
Holding a presidential election during an active war raises difficult questions about democratic legitimacy, security and unity in a country under attack. A prominent former minister openly challenging the president signals potential political tension inside Ukraine's leadership at a critical moment in the conflict.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mykhailo Fedorov?
He is Ukraine's recently dismissed former defence minister, whose sacking last month triggered a wave of protests, according to the Guardian.
What did Fedorov call for?
He called for a wartime presidential election, saying Ukraine had to 'restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war,' in a video address released online late Tuesday evening.
Why is this significant?
The Guardian describes it as the most direct political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.