Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has urged a wartime presidential election, a move that coincides with Ukraine’s General Staff reporting 1,471,160 Russian troops killed since the invasion began, underscoring the war’s intensity and raising questions about the feasibility of a vote under martial law.
Fedorov, dismissed in July after a clash with army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, delivered a nine‑minute video address on Tuesday urging restoration of democratic processes despite ongoing combat. The casualty tally also lists 12,276 tanks, 25,162 armored vehicles and 439 aircraft lost by Russia. Kyiv polls show Fedorov at 13.1% support in a potential first round, behind President Zelenskyy’s 22.3%.
Martial law, in place since February 2022, bars elections, meaning Fedorov’s proposal challenges the legal framework and could intensify street protests that have already swelled to about 2,000 participants. A contested vote could strain Ukraine’s governance, affect foreign aid coordination and complicate market assessments of political risk.
Public sentiment on immediate elections diverges: the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology finds only about 10% of Ukrainians favour holding a vote now, while the Socis Centre poll places Fedorov at 13.1% support in a hypothetical presidential race, highlighting a gap between elite ambitions and popular appetite.