Key facts
- Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for Ukraine to hold elections during wartime.
- Fedorov cited a "systemic crisis of governance" and corruption as reasons for his demand.
- Ukrainian law currently prohibits holding elections while martial law is in effect.
- Fedorov's address is the first such demand from a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia's full-scale invasion.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's administration had previously discussed the possibility of holding elections.
- Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone strike at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant that killed one person.
Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for Ukraine to hold elections during the ongoing Russian invasion, citing a "systemic crisis of governance" and corruption. His remarks, delivered in a videotaped address, mark the first such demand from a major Ukrainian political figure since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Ukrainian law currently prohibits elections while martial law is in effect, a stance the government has largely maintained. Fedorov's call brings a previously debated issue into the mainstream, potentially adding pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose administration has faced corruption scandals and questions over recent personnel decisions. The timing of Fedorov's address follows his dismissal last month, which sparked protests. Meanwhile, Russia continued its attacks, with missile strikes in the Kharkiv region killing 10 people and a drone strike at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant killing one person.