Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Calls for Wartime Elections
Sacked Ukrainian defence minister calls for presidential election
Mykhailo Fedorov, the recently sacked Ukrainian defence minister, has called for presidential elections to be held during wartime, marking a significant challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership. In a video posted Tuesday, the 35-year-old stated that "democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia" and emphasized Ukraine's fight to remain a free European state. Ukraine has suspended elections under martial law since Russia's 2022 invasion. Fedorov was unexpectedly dismissed from his defence minister role last month after just six months in the position. During his tenure, he gained popularity for anti-corruption efforts and using data to improve military performance. Zelensky has not yet responded to Fedorov's call.
