Former Defense Minister Calls for Elections During Wartime to "Delay the Vote" on Khmara

Former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in his video address that there is a need to hold elections in Ukraine. He also said that Ukraine cannot remain without a fully appointed head of the Defense Ministry during the war, and called for a broader discussion about the country’s and democracy’s future. Against the background of Fedorov’s statements, some members of parliament called his speech an attempt to regain the post and to “delay the vote” on the appointment of Yevhen Khmara as head of the Defense Ministry, the Financial Times reports. The paper writes that Fedorov’s statement came ahead of a parliamentary session at which, according to several deputies, the Servant of the People party was to formally approve the candidacy of Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara. Fedorov’s remark will apparently intensify the dispute over control of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the procurement process, the paper says. Member of parliament and head of the parliamentary committee on foreign policy Oleksandr Merezhko told the Financial Times that the only winner of elections during the war would be the Russian dictator Volodymyr Putin, because he “will exploit Ukraine’s vulnerability during the election campaign for his own interests.” Another MP told reporters that an election campaign would “bury the country,” and said he believed Fedorov is “in a hurry” to leave a mark, “since in a year people may forget about him.” As is known, 18 August President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the nomination of Yevhen Khmara for appointment as defense minister. Major General Khmara had been serving as acting head of the SBU since January 2026, and before that headed the SBU Anti-Terror Center. 16 July Zelensky instructed him to perform the duties of the defense minister. 14 July the Verkhovna Rada dismissed the entire government and then-defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Rallies in support of Fedorov and demanding the resignation of Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began in Kyiv and other cities. The president replaced Syrskyi with Mykhailo Drapatoho, and held several meetings with Fedorov, offering him various positions, including deputy prime minister for military innovations. But Fedorov himself said he would not accept any offered position except the defense minister portfolio. Earlier, FAKTY wrote about a statement by Russian-Ukrainian war veteran “Azov” fighter Krotevych, who pointed to “discrepancies in Fedorov’s accounts.”