Ukraine’s dismissed defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, has called for elections to be held even while the war with Russia continues. A Danish senior researcher says martial law makes a vote impossible under current conditions.
DR reports that Fedorov, who was dismissed on July 15, 2026, has urged Ukraine to find a lawful and safe way to resume the democratic process. He made the appeal in a video address published on YouTube on Tuesday.
Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told DR’s P1 Morgen that an election is not realistic. Per Splidsboel Hansen, the Ukrainian constitution prohibits a vote while the state of emergency remains in force. Elections have been suspended since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In the address, Fedorov asked whether Russia should effectively decide when Ukrainians can choose their political leadership. He said democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. Ukrainska Pravda reported that he called for a legal, safe and realistic mechanism to restore the full democratic process.
Splidsboel Hansen said Ukrainian politicians across party lines agree that a vote cannot be organized now. He said members of parliament he has spoken with describe themselves as tired and want elections called soon, while accepting it is not currently possible. According to him, the proposal may appeal to parts of Ukrainian society seeking a systemic cleansing, while others will view it as unrealistic and irresponsible.
Parliament confirms new defense minister
Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, formally approved Yevhenii Khmara as defense minister on Wednesday. The Kyiv Independent reported that the appointment passed with 312 votes. Reuters reported that lawmakers confirmed Khmara hours after his ousted predecessor called for wartime elections.
DR reports that demonstrators gathered outside parliament in Kyiv on Wednesday before the appointment was confirmed. Fedorov’s dismissal in mid-July triggered protests in several cities, with demands for his reinstatement and the removal of military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later replaced Syrskyi with Mykhailo Drapatyi.
France 24 noted that national elections originally due in spring 2024 could not be held because Ukrainian law bars voting under martial law. Le Monde reported that Fedorov described a systemic crisis of governance and criticized corruption in his address.
BBC News described the video as the largest internal political challenge to Zelenskyy since the invasion began, noting that Fedorov avoided naming the president. Splidsboel Hansen told DR that the 35-year-old Fedorov is now stepping more clearly onto the political stage, which can increase pressure on Zelenskyy. According to DR, Fedorov did not say whether he intends to run, and Zelenskyy has not commented on the video.
