Ousted Ukrainian Defence Minister Demands Wartime Elections, Challenging Zelenskyy

Ukraine's dismissed defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, called on August 18 for presidential elections during wartime, defying President Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy argues elections are impossible under martial law — the emergency legal state that suspends normal democratic processes during conflict. Fedorov, once a close Zelenskyy ally, cited a governance crisis and corruption, as Zelenskyy's office faces investigation.