Fedorov Pushes Ukraine Toward Wartime Elections — SkimNews
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- Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's ousted defense minister, called for wartime elections in a Tuesday address, arguing the government was failing to tackle corruption — his call marks the biggest internal challenge to Zelensky since 2022 and his dismissal last month sparked rare wartime street protests.
- President Zelensky said he would hold elections if the US and European allies could guarantee security, though martial law imposed in February 2022 bans voting and polls consistently show a majority of Ukrainians oppose wartime elections.
- Analysts estimate roughly six months would be needed to build the legislative framework from scratch, and political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said an air ceasefire is a vital first step before any vote can be seriously considered.
- Voter access poses staggering logistical hurdles: 4.4 million Ukrainians hold temporary EU protection status requiring polling stations across Europe, nearly 4 million are internally displaced, 1 million serve in the armed forces, and 4.5 million adults remain in Russian-occupied territory.
- Polling shows Zelensky at roughly 60% approval (down from 90% early in the war), with SOCIS placing former commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi at 21%, Zelensky at 22%, and Fedorov at 13% — and either challenger could beat Zelensky in a runoff.
- Russia controls about 19% of Ukrainian territory, plans to hold its own elections there next month (which Kyiv calls illegal), and has declared Zelensky illegitimate since his term expired in May 2024.
Why it matters: If wartime elections proceed, Zelensky enters as a front-runner but vulnerable — his 60% approval (down from 90%) leaves room for Zaluzhnyi or Fedorov to beat him in a runoff, while organizing the vote would divert time and funds from defense. Russia is simultaneously scheduling its own elections for next month in occupied territory to cement its hold and delegitimize Kyiv on the international stage.
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