Sacked Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for presidential elections
Ukraine has operated without a single national ballot for more than four years. Since Moscow's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, neither
Sacked Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Calls for Elections
Poinews.com – Ukraine has operated without a single national ballot for more than four years. Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, neither presidential nor parliamentary votes have been held, and the constitution explicitly suspends elections while martial law is in effect. The practical hurdles of staging a nationwide poll amid active fighting — getting soldiers at the front to vote, reaching millions of displaced Ukrainians abroad, and protecting polling stations in contested zones — make the question far from simple. Yet Sacked Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has now argued that the debate itself can no longer be deferred.
In a social-media video titled “Address of Mykhailo Fedorov to the People of Ukraine,” posted roughly a month after his dismissal sparked mass street protests, the former minister urged Kyiv to build a workable mechanism for holding votes even while the war grinds on. He stopped short of demanding an immediate ballot or fixing a timetable. His narrower point: citizens needed a framework to assess whether those currently in power still deserved their confidence. Democracy, in his framing, “could not simply be postponed” until a ceasefire.
“We must not let Putin decide when Ukrainians can choose their government.”
“Democracy is not a peacetime luxury. Democracy is part of what we are fighting for today.”
The Trigger: Khmara’s Nomination and a Closed Door
The intervention landed within hours of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally naming Yevhen Khmara — the acting defence minister and former head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) — to the post permanently. That announcement foreclosed weeks of speculation about whether Fedorov might reclaim his former ministry. Zelenskyy had floated several senior appointments, including deputy prime-minister roles, but Fedorov turned each down, insisting he would only return to lead the defence portfolio. With Khmara’s elevation, that path was shut.
What makes the timing significant is that Sacked Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov had never publicly pressed for wartime elections before this moment. His push for a vote surfaced only once it became clear that a return to the defence ministry was off the table, shifting the conversation from a personnel dispute to questions of electoral legitimacy and the limits of executive power.
Accountability, Corruption, and the Right to Truth
Beyond the ballot question, the former minister widened his critique to wartime governance itself. He singled out corruption and bureaucratic inertia, warning that mismanagement of state funds could translate directly into lost lives when resources earmarked for defence were siphoned elsewhere. Officials wielding authority, budgets, or posts, he argued, owed the public an accounting of what they actually delivered.
“Power must mean responsibility.”
“People do not demand that the state never make mistakes. But they have a right to the truth.”
He pressed for greater transparency, contending that the extraordinary public trust extended to the government since the invasion did not entitle officials to operate without explaining their decisions.
Khmara’s Background and the Handover
The nominated successor is a long-time figure in Ukraine’s security apparatus. Khmara previously commanded the SBU’s Alpha special-operations centre and took part in the 2022 operation to retake Snake Island. He later oversaw Ukraine’s sustained campaign of long-range drone strikes deep into Russian territory. In January 2026, following the departure of Vasyl Maliuk, Khmara assumed the role of acting SBU chief before moving into the defence ministry in an acting capacity.
Fedorov has not publicly criticised his successor and appears to have worked toward an orderly transition. In a 6 August interview, he described personally walking Khmara through a detailed “war plan” — the first task he undertook upon taking office. The plan, he explained, cascaded into procurement and development directives, decomposing the overarching strategy into hundreds of discrete projects covering weapons manufacturing and financing.
“This was the first thing I did, I showed it to him personally.”
FAQ
Why has Ukraine not held elections since 2022? Ukraine’s constitution bars presidential and parliamentary voting while martial law is in force. Martial law was declared after Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and remains active, meaning no national ballot has been possible under current law.
What exactly did Fedorov ask for? He did not call for an immediate election or set a date. He urged the government to devise a mechanism that would let citizens evaluate those in power and decide whether they still deserved public confidence, even while the war continues.
Who is Yevhen Khmara and why was he nominated? Khmara is a former SBU chief who previously led the Alpha special-operations centre and oversaw Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign. He became acting defence minister after Fedorov’s sacking and was subsequently nominated by Zelenskyy to hold the post permanently.
Did Fedorov criticise his successor? No. In a 6 August interview he described personally briefing Khmara on his overarching “war plan” and the hundreds of procurement and development projects it contained, suggesting an orderly handover rather than a public falling-out.
