Ukraine President Criticizes Wartime Elections Amid Russian Conflict
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KYIV, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Holding a wartime election in Ukraine while active fighting with Russia continues would "destroy" the country by splitting Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
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Washington TimesUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected calls for wartime elections, saying such political contests at a critical moment in his country’s war with Russia would “split Ukraine” apart.
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In remarks made public Sunday, Mr. Zelenskyy pushed back against the call from ousted Ukrainian defense chief Mykhailo Fedorov, who last week said the nation is in a “crisis of governance” and suggested the situation warrants a presidential election.
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ReutersHis comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were Zelenskiy's first on the subject since ousted former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll in a bombshell address last week.
BBC NewsPublished Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has "questions to answer" about corruption in his government, his sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has told the BBC.
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Fedorov's surprise dismissal last month sparked widespread protests, but supporters calling for his reinstatement later baulked at his call for an election - the first such demand by a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
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BBC NewsFedorov also reiterated that "democracy should not be the hostage of Putin" - but stopped short of declaring his own political ambitions days after he posted a video calling for elections in Ukraine.
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Ukrainian law prohibits elections during wartime, meaning the country would have to pass new legislation or find another legal avenue to hold such a vote.
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ReutersElections in war are prohibited by Ukrainian law. Analysts also say security concerns and the millions of Ukrainians abroad, under Russian occupation or fighting at the front mean it would be too difficult to hold an election.
BBC NewsUkraine has been under martial law since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, meaning elections are suspended.
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Fedorov, a popular minister who modernised the armed forces and pioneered drone warfare, was fired last month after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine's armed forces.
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Washington TimesMr. Fedorov was dismissed last month after just six months as defense minister. He arrived with a background in defense tech, promising a data-driven approach he’d applied as Ukraine’s digital transformation minister to procurement, drones, mobilization and military management.
4 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the visiting leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries at a flag-raising ceremony in Kyiv on Sunday, as Ukraine marked Ukraine’s National Flag Day.
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02 Reuters ELECTIONS WOULD SPLIT UKRAINE, PRESIDENT SAYS Zelenskiy's approval rating has remained generally stable at about 60%, but pollsters have said that while Ukrainians want fresh faces in politics, many have little appetite for voting now.
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03 BBC News He told the BBC a money laundering investigation announced last week raised questions about Zelensky's awareness of potential corruption in his inner circle.
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04 Washington Times Mr. Zelenskyy did not aggressively attack his former defense minister even while rejecting Mr. Fedorov’s call for elections.
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Sources (4)
- bbc
- washtimes
- ap
- reuters