Ukraine’s former defense minister Mikhail Fedorov, whose surprise firing last month sparked weeks of protests, has called for the ban on wartime elections to be lifted.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law imposed after the conflict with Russia broke out in February 2022.

Fedorov, a young, tech-savvy minister credited with championing drone warfare and fostering military cooperation abroad, was sacked on July 14 amid reports of clashes over priorities and tactics with Ukraine’s top commander, Aleksandr Syrsky. Zelensky responded to street protests demanding Fedorov’s return by firing Syrsky the following week. Both Fedorov and Syrsky have since publicly sought to downplay their differences.

In a campaign-style video released on YouTube on Tuesday evening, Fedorov blasted corruption and called for accountability and transparency amid what he described as “a systemic crisis of governance.”

“We must find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism that would allow Ukraine to restore a fully functioning democratic process even if the war drags on,” Fedorov said.

“We can find a solution even in this situation, because democracy is not a luxury reserved for peacetime. Democracy is part of what we are fighting for today. But there is another reason why this conversation is needed right now. People cannot live indefinitely in a state where they do not understand why certain decisions are being made,” the former minister added.

Fedorov’s video address featured images of protests in his support, as well as references to high-profile corruption scandals involving government ministers and members of Zelensky’s inner circle, including his former chief of staff Andrey Yermak.

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