Sacked Ukrainian Defence Minister Demands Wartime Elections, Cites Governance Crisis

Ukraine's parliament confirmed Yevhen Khmara as defence minister on August 19, 2026, replacing Mykhailo Fedorov, sacked in July. Fedorov released a YouTube video demanding wartime presidential elections and accusing Zelenskyy's administration of a governance crisis harming the war effort. He suggested his anti-corruption push prompted dismissal. His former chief of staff's lawyer denied related allegations. The video follows rare Kyiv protests over Fedorov's removal.