Ousted Ukraine defense minister urges wartime elections, warning of a governance crisis

Ousted Ukraine defense minister urges wartime elections, warning of a governance crisis 1 of 5 | Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with Sweden’s Defense Minister Pal Jonson in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, file) 2 of 5 | Demonstrators hold a photo of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov during a rally to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Fedorov after six months in the post, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) 3 of 5 | People march during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 4 of 5 | People stand still for a minute of silence during a rally to protest against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 5 of 5 | People sing and hold up their cell phone flashlights during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 1 of 5 | Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with Sweden’s Defense Minister Pal Jonson in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, file) 1 of 5 Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with Sweden’s Defense Minister Pal Jonson in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, file) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Demonstrators hold a photo of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov during a rally to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Fedorov after six months in the post, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) 2 of 5 Demonstrators hold a photo of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov during a rally to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Fedorov after six months in the post, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | People march during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 3 of 5 People march during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | People stand still for a minute of silence during a rally to protest against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 4 of 5 People stand still for a minute of silence during a rally to protest against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | People sing and hold up their cell phone flashlights during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 5 of 5 People sing and hold up their cell phone flashlights during a rally to protest the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister in Kyiv, late Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called Tuesday for elections to be held even as the war against Russia continues, saying the country was gripped by a crisis of governance. The move by one of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s most loyal and longstanding team members until recently could become the most significant internal challenge Zelenskyy has faced since Russia’s full-scale invasion. The appeal came in a video address posted to YouTube by Fedorov, who lost his post in July. “We must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war,” Fedorov said. Zelenskyy’s office did not immediately comment on Fedorov’s address. Ukrainian law prohibits elections while the country is under martial law, which was imposed on Feb. 24, 2022, the day that the Russian invasion began. Fedorov said the country was facing a systemic crisis in how it is governed, arguing the current system is oriented toward protecting itself and resisting change. He also condemned corruption among officials without naming anyone, saying it had weakened Ukraine’s ability to fight the war. Fedorov has said he believes a factor in his removal was an overhaul he led of the Defense Ministry’s procurement system, which oversees billions of dollars in equipment purchases. 4 MIN READ 5 MIN READ 4 MIN READ “Corruption in wartime is not merely a financial issue. It is a matter of our capability to survive and win,” said Fedorov. “Every single hryvnia intended for defense must work for defense. Not for a private pocket.”Fedorov released the address hours after Ukraine’s Parliament received a submission from Zelenskyy nominating Yevhenii Khmara to be the new defense minister, Parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said on Facebook Tuesday. Large crowds of protesters have taken to the streets of Kyiv in support of Fedorov over the past month following his abrupt dismissal. The demonstrations have lost some of their initial force but still draw crowds of thousands during weekend marches, with demonstrators carrying handmade signs demanding Zelenskyy reinstate Fedorov.