Fired Ukrainian Official Calls for Elections During War

Ukraine's parliament approved a new defence minister on August 19, 2026, replacing Mykhailo Fedorov, who was fired in July. Fedorov posted a video demanding elections despite the war and accusing President Zelenskyy's team of mismanaging government and hurting the military. He hinted his anti-corruption work caused his firing. An aide's lawyer denied the claims. Rare protests followed in Kyiv.