Sacked Ukrainian defence minister calls for presidential election
Martial law has been in place in Ukraine since February 2022, under which elections are suspended.
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former defense minister, has advocated for elections to be held during wartime, a move many observers consider the most significant challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
In a YouTube video posted on Tuesday, Fedorov, 35, asserted, "Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia," emphasizing that Ukraine is fighting "precisely because we want to remain a free European state." Since the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been under martial law, which has led to the suspension of elections.
Fedorov, who did not explicitly name Zelensky in his video, was unexpectedly removed from his position as defense minister in late July, merely six months after his appointment. Zelensky has not yet commented on the video from Fedorov, whose dismissal triggered protests across the country.
During his tenure as defense minister, Fedorov was lauded for revitalizing the ministry, spearheading anti-corruption efforts, and utilizing data to analyze and enhance front-line performance. His removal is widely believed to have stemmed from tensions between him and army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi was also replaced several weeks later, following weeks of protests that intensified pressure on the Ukrainian president.
Fedorov did not disclose any personal political aspirations in the YouTube video, instead concentrating on the necessity for a "legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even amidst a prolonged war." He further stated that the country is grappling with a "systemic crisis of governance" and is "scared of change," highlighting corruption in Ukraine as a factor hindering the country's war effort.
Zelensky has since appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, a career intelligence official with a low political profile, as acting defense minister. Fedorov was offered other positions within Zelensky's government, including deputy prime minister for military innovation, but the 35-year-old has stated he would only return as defense minister.
Previously serving as minister of digital transformation, Fedorov established a volunteer "IT Army of Ukraine" to launch cyber-attacks against Russians in the initial days following the full-scale invasion. He later led a successful fundraising initiative called the Army of Drones and introduced elements of "gamification" to the war, devising a system that awarded Ukrainian military units credits for hitting Russian targets.
As defense minister, his focus on drones, high-tech warfare, and procurement continued, leading him to request that SpaceX founder Elon Musk prevent Russia from using Starlink satellites for drone attacks. This action has been credited with causing considerable disruption to Russia's front-line operations and advance. In a Facebook post shortly after his dismissal, Fedorov enumerated his achievements and declared his intention to "continue... to defeat the enemy through asymmetry, speed of innovation, and organisational strength."