Ukraine's Ousted Defense Chief Calls for Wartime Elections
Former defense minister Fedorov urged Ukraine to hold elections during the war, and a recent poll indicates he would comfortably defeat Zelensky in a hypothetical runoff.
Ukraine’s former defense minister has publicly called for the country to hold elections during its ongoing war with Russia — one of the most direct political challenges to President Volodymyr Zelensky since the full-scale invasion began more than four years ago.
In a public address, the ousted defense chief, identified in reports as Fedorov, argued that Ukraine should not defer elections on account of the war, according to the Jerusalem Post. He stopped short of declaring himself a candidate for any future race.
The intervention arrives at a moment of political sensitivity. Ukraine has operated under continuous martial law since February 2022, which suspends the electoral calendar under the country’s constitution. President Zelensky, whose original five-year term would have expired in 2024, has maintained that holding elections in a country under active bombardment would be dangerous, disruptive, and exploitable by Moscow. Critics have pushed back, arguing that democratic accountability cannot remain on hold indefinitely.
Polling Puts Fedorov Ahead
While Fedorov did not announce a candidacy in his address, polling data cited by the Jerusalem Post suggests he would be a formidable challenger. A recent survey indicated he would comfortably defeat Zelensky in a hypothetical runoff vote.
The gap reflects a pattern common to extended conflicts: initial wartime unity gradually giving way to public frustration with leadership decisions, battlefield losses, and economic hardship. Ukraine has rotated a number of senior military and civilian officials over the course of the war, and Zelensky’s approval, once near-universal in the early months of the Russian assault, has settled at lower levels as the conflict has dragged into its fourth year.
Fedorov’s departure from the defense portfolio was described as an ouster rather than a voluntary resignation, though initial reporting did not detail the circumstances of his removal.
The Constitutional Question
Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections during martial law. Lifting the restriction would require a vote in the Verkhovna Rada — and would depend on battlefield conditions that, as of mid-2026, remain far from stable.
The case for proceeding rests on legitimacy: a government that has not faced voters in years governs on contested democratic authority, a point increasingly raised by Western partners who have contributed hundreds of billions of dollars in military and economic aid and have their own domestic audiences to answer to.
The case against is primarily logistical. A credible national election requires voter rolls, secure polling infrastructure, and a functional campaign environment — all of which are severely degraded across much of Ukraine. Millions of citizens remain internally displaced or abroad. Conducting a free and fair contest under those conditions would be logistically near-impossible in contested regions and could expose civilian populations to targeted strikes during the campaign period.
Fedorov’s address does not resolve that tension. It does signal that a figure with real polling support is willing to press the question openly rather than through back channels.
A Shifting Political Landscape
Ukraine’s wartime political environment has historically constrained open dissent from prominent officials. The country’s media ecosystem and public opinion have largely rallied around the war effort, and challenging the president directly has carried reputational risk. Fedorov’s willingness to call publicly for elections — while holding his own candidacy in reserve — represents a notable departure from that norm.
Whether this proves an isolated statement or the opening of a sustained political campaign remains to be seen. The Zelensky administration had not publicly responded to the address as of this report.
The broader conflict continues on multiple fronts. Russia has maintained a persistent campaign of drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukrainian forces have continued cross-border operations into Russian territory. Both sides remain far from any negotiated resolution.
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