Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected calls for wartime elections, arguing that they would "destroy" the country during its ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelensky made his comments over the weekend, citing a risk to Ukraine's unity and stability. Former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov had recently pushed for wartime elections, but Zelensky claimed that Fedorov's actions were misguided. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is also facing a significant $27 billion shortfall in funding.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office is being investigated for corruption by Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies, who are probing a criminal organization allegedly led by a sitting and former lawmaker, involving senior officials from the presidential office and other individuals. This comes a day after Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's recently fired defense minister, called for national elections in a video address posted to YouTube, despite the ongoing war with Russia. Fedorov's ouster had sparked weeks of protests across the country, criticizing the removal of the widely respected minister. The investigation is an unwelcome distraction for Zelenskyy as Ukraine's war with its bigger neighbor extends into its fifth year.
Fedorov, 35, who was credited with turning the tide of the war in Ukraine, had helped design the country's strategy to bring an end to the conflict by using drones and robots. His removal had sent thousands of protesters onto the streets in rare wartime protests demanding that Zelenskyy reinstate him.
The investigation into Zelenskyy's office is being conducted by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, who are conducting an operation to expose a criminal organization allegedly led by a sitting and former lawmaker. Further details would be released later, according to their joint statement.
Zelenskyy made no public comment on the investigation but issued a decree dismissing Iryna Mudra from the position of deputy head of the president's office. The investigation is seen as a significant development in Ukraine's ongoing battle against corruption and comes at a time when Zelenskyy is facing pressure to hold wartime elections, which are prohibited during martial law under Ukraine's constitution.
Fedorov had called for a "legal, safe and realistic mechanism" that would allow Ukraine to renew its full democratic process even in the conditions of a long war. His statement was seen as a direct challenge to Zelenskyy, who has refused to hold elections in wartime, citing the need for a ceasefire with Russia and necessary security guarantees.
The situation is complex and politically charged, with some observers saying that elections are not feasible at this moment, while others argue that Ukraine needs democratic reforms to continue its fight against corruption and Russian aggression.
Written for “Ukraine Ongoing Government Crisis” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 14 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 2014: no verified evidence · logged 2026-08-28
Volodymyr Zelensky may be under pressure to hold elections in Ukraine, including from his former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, but in remarks over the weekend, the Ukrainian President argued that doing so during the ongoing conflict with Russia would “destroy” the country.
uncertain
doing → hold → country
“I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk,” Zelensky said in remarks to journalists during a two-hour meeting Saturday—parts of which were made public on Sunday.
asserted
parts → believe → which
“Elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine.”
asserted
that → split → Ukraine
The renewed push for wartime elections was bolstered by Fedorov, who, in a video posted to social media last week, argued that "democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia.”
asserted
democracy → renew → Russia
Zelensky fired Fedorov, once his longtime ally, in July over disagreements in how to run the war with Russia.
asserted
Zelensky → fire → Russia
“I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move towards elections,” Zelensky said.
asserted
Zelensky → believe → elections
Fedorov’s call for elections is the latest leadership test for Zelensky, whose five-year term expired in May 2024 but continues under wartime rules.
uncertain
term → expire → rules
Elections are suspended under martial law.
asserted
Elections → suspend → law
Zelensky recently fired a top aide amid a growing corruption scandal involving members of his office.
asserted
Zelensky → fire → office
Zelensky himself has not been implicated, but it has added to his political woes.
asserted
it → implicate → woes
For the first time with journalists, Zelensky addressed the ongoing controversy involving Fedorov on Saturday, claiming that the former defense minister’s actions were misguided.
asserted
actions → address → Saturday
Zelensky added that “there can be no conflict at such a level between leaders,” referring to Fedorov's conflict with the former Armed Forces commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky.
asserted
Zelensky → add → chief
Zelensky also replaced Syrsky last month after Fedorov’s removal spurred massive protests within the military and on the streets of Kyiv.
asserted
removal → replace → Kyiv
Syrsky was widely viewed as part of the old guard, while Fedorov had pushed for the adoption of modern warfare technology, including drones.
asserted
Fedorov → view → drones
“I really had and still have a very positive attitude towards Mykhailo [Fedorov],” he said, according to local news outlet Interfax.
uncertain
he → have → Interfax
But I think that he himself is going—or he's being pushed—into the wrong things.”
asserted
he → think → things
In a post on X, Zelensky also mentioned that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense was under severe strain with a $27 billion shortfall.
asserted
Ministry → mention → shortfall
“At the beginning of the year, decisions were made at the Ministry to use in the first half of the year funds that were intended to be disbursed in the second half, and that money went toward drone production and other needs,” Zelensky posted.
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Zelensky → make → production
“Now, in the second half of the year, those funds need to be compensated for and supplemented.”
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funds → need → year
Zelensky discussed the defense budget deficit during a summit with Nordic and Baltic leaders in Kyiv on Sunday, where the leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden agreed to continue to provide military and financial support.
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leaders → discuss → support
We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace,” Burnham said in a statement Monday.
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Burnham → back → statement
Successive polls have shown a lack of public interest in holding elections during the war.
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polls → show → war
The latest, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology from July 20 to Aug. 3, shows that 57% of Ukrainians believe elections should be held after fighting has ended, down from 69% in March.
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fighting → conduct → March
Experts have previously said that the invasion, which Russian President Vladimir Putin launched in 2022, nixed the possibility of holding safe and secure elections in Ukraine.
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Putin → say → Ukraine
Zelensky has denied postponing the polls to cling to power, and told reporters on Saturday that holding elections “is impossible under the conditions we have now, when Putin does not want to accept any ceasefire options.”
In the same conversation, Zelensky said he believes Russia will draft an additional 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine after Russian parliamentary elections, which are scheduled on Sept. 18-20.
asserted
which → deny → Sept.
Zelensky said Russia could also draft more troops in 2027.
uncertain
Russia → say → 2027
He expects most of the additional forces to be deployed in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, where military clashes are ongoing.
asserted
clashes → expect → Ukraine
