Former Ukrainian Minister Mikhailo Fedorov calls for elections despite war

A need, according to him, to “restore the democratic process”. The popular former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov, dismissed in July by Volodymyr Zelensky, called on Tuesday August 18 to open the way for elections in Ukraine despite the Russian invasion. “Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia,” he said in a speech broadcast on YouTube, putting a thorny issue back on the table. Calling Ukrainians to the polls is today impossible under the martial law in force since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

“We are fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state,” argues Mikhaïlo Fedorov. “Thus, we must find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism” allowing Ukraine to organize elections “even in the middle of a protracted war.” He recognizes a certain complexity, citing the difficulty of guaranteeing the right to vote for the military, voters living in areas close to the front and millions of Ukrainian refugees abroad, arguments already put forward by the Ukrainian president to explain the absence of presidential elections.

"But complexity does not mean impossibility. Ukraine has repeatedly done what the world thought impossible. We can find a solution here too," assured the former Defense Minister. His ouster in mid-July, decided by Volodymyr Zelensky, caused a wave of demonstrations in Ukraine, which continued in August and pushed the head of state to also replace the commander of the army, Oleksandr Syrsky. This experienced soldier was considered the rival of Mikhaïlo Fedorov and the person responsible for the dismissal of the young minister, praised for his attempts to reform and modernize the army, particularly in the use of drones.

In his speech on Tuesday, Mikhaïlo Fedorov did not mention the rest of his career. But the 35-year-old has repeatedly made it clear that he would only consider returning to government as defense minister. Volodymyr Zelensky, however, appointed Yevgeniï Khmara, an official from the security services (SBU), to this position, whose final appointment could be voted on on Wednesday by Parliament. A new demonstration of support for Mikhaïlo Fedorov is planned in front of his headquarters on Wednesday morning, according to one of his former advisers.