Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defence minister, called for wartime elections just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly selected Yevhen Khmara as his permanent successor, thereby ruling out Fedorov’s return to office.
In a video titled “Address of Mykhailo Fedorov to the People of Ukraine,” published a month after his dismissal provoked widespread protests, Fedorov urged Ukraine to find a way to restore elections despite the continued fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion.”We must not allow Putin to dictate when Ukrainians can choose their government,” he stressed. Democracy is not a luxury enjoyed during times of calm. Democracy is a component of what we are fighting for today. Zelenskyy offered him several top government positions after his resignation, including deputy prime minister, but Fedorov declined, saying he would only return to command the defence ministry.
Khmara’s nomination precludes such an option. Fedorov’s remarks later on Tuesday diverted the focus away from the controversy about his prior position and toward broader issues of elections, political accountability, and the exercise of authority during warfare. His choice to deliver a political speech to Ukrainians on social media, focusing on matters far beyond his former ministerial portfolio, has fueled speculation about the political ambitions of one of Ukraine’s most popular former ministers.
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