Kyiv, Aug 19 (V7N)- Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for presidential elections to be held despite the ongoing war with Russia, presenting one of the strongest challenges to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
In a video posted on YouTube on Tuesday (August 18), Fedorov, 35, argued that democracy should not be suspended because of the war.
“Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia,” Fedorov said, stressing that Ukraine is fighting to remain an independent European state.
Ukraine has remained under martial law since Russia launched its full-scale military operation, preventing regular elections from being held.
Fedorov did not directly mention Zelenskyy in his video. However, his comments came shortly after he was unexpectedly dismissed as defense minister in late July, just six months after taking office. His removal triggered protests across Ukraine.
During his brief tenure, Fedorov received praise for accelerating the work of the Defense Ministry, strengthening anti-corruption measures and using data-driven approaches to improve military capabilities on the battlefield.
Tensions with Ukraine’s then army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, were reportedly among the factors behind Fedorov’s dismissal. Syrskyi was also removed from his position several weeks later. The changes were reportedly made amid pressure on the Zelenskyy administration from ongoing protests.
Fedorov did not reveal any plans regarding his political future. Instead, he called for a “legal, safe and realistic system” to restore full democratic processes in Ukraine despite the prolonged war.
He described Ukraine as facing a “systemic crisis of governance” and warned that fear of change and corruption were among the problems hampering the country’s war effort.
Fedorov was reportedly offered several senior positions in Zelenskyy’s government after his dismissal, including the post of deputy prime minister for military innovation. However, he said he wanted to return only as defense minister.
Before becoming defense minister, Fedorov served as Ukraine’s minister for digital transformation. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, he helped establish the volunteer initiative “IT Army of Ukraine,” which coordinated cyber operations targeting Russia.
He later led the “Army of Drones” fundraising campaign and introduced technology-driven and game-like systems to Ukraine’s military operations. The initiative included a credit system rewarding Ukrainian military units for successful strikes against Russian military targets.
As defense minister, Fedorov continued to prioritize drones, advanced military technologies and high-tech warfare. He also appealed to SpaceX founder Elon Musk over Russia’s use of Starlink satellite communications in drone operations.
Fedorov said after his dismissal that he would continue contributing to Ukraine’s war effort through innovation, speed and organizational strength.
END/SMA/AJ
