# ‘Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia’: Ousted former Ukrainian defense minister says elections cannot wait for peace

https://mins.news/en/item/25539

- Meduza, 2026-08-18 22:13 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/08/19/democracy-cannot-be-held-hostage-by-russia-ousted-after-clashing-with-ukraine-s-top-general-mykhailo-fedorov-now-argues-elections-can-t-wait-for-peace

> Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a “legal, safe, and realistic mechanism” to restore a fully functioning democratic process while the war continues. He acknowledged the challenges of securing voting rights for service members, Ukrainians abroad, and people in frontline areas, but said difficulty does not make elections impossible. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Fedorov in July, reportedly after a conflict with armed forces chief Oleksandr Syrskyi; protests seeking his reinstatement continue.

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