Ukraine War: Zelenskyy Says Elections Would Split Country
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for elections during the Ukraine war, describing them as a huge risk that could split the country and potentially destroy it amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Zelenskyy Rejects Wartime Election Proposal
Zelenskyy described wartime elections as a “tsunami” that would split Ukraine and a “huge risk” during the more than four-year conflict. [1] He stated that elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine. [1] The president added that if the goal is to destroy the country, then moving in the direction of elections during these times of war would achieve that outcome. [3] Zelenskyy made these comments in a briefing with reporters on Saturday, with the remarks published on Sunday. [4] He noted that Ukrainian law already bans elections during wartime, and experts have pointed to logistical, safety, and security challenges that make holding a vote practically impossible. [1] Zelenskyy said a wartime election might be possible only if partners could guarantee security, but no such plan has been proposed. [3] His strategy remains focused on steering the country toward an ending of the war while preserving an independent and sovereign state. [3]
Fedorov's Call and Political Backlash
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a briefing on wartime elections. — Source: cnn
The call for elections came from former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was fired in July and whose dismissal sparked protests. [1] The 35-year-old Fedorov, a popular figure who held the post for just six months, posted a nine-minute video on YouTube claiming that Ukraine’s democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. [1] He questioned whether Russia should be entitled to define when Ukrainians can elect their authorities and highlighted what he called a systemic crisis of governance. [3] Fedorov’s surprise dismissal last month prompted widespread protests, yet supporters who initially called for his reinstatement later distanced themselves from his election demand. [3] Zelenskyy made several jabs at Fedorov during the briefing, saying he believed the former minister was going himself or being pushed toward wrong things. [4] The former minister was a prominent backer of the drone warfare strategy and had pushed for army reforms, but he clashed with the military command. [4] Much of the public initially took Fedorov’s side and pushed for the dismissal of commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky, though Zelenskyy warned against disrespectful attitudes toward armed service members. [4] He stressed that society and soldiers must not be divided. [4]
Russian Mobilization Plans
Zelenskyy warned Russia is likely to mobilize at least 300,000 more troops after September parliamentary elections, targeting peripheral regions for a total of up to 500,000. [2] He said Russia could draft more troops in 2027 to reach an overall goal of 500,000 as part of a peripheral mobilisation that would focus on far-flung regions rather than central cities. [5] Parliamentary elections in Russia are set for September 18 to 20. [5] Moscow’s forces are pressing ahead with efforts to capture the rest of eastern Ukraine’s industrialised Donbas region, where its troops have advanced at what Kyiv says is a great cost. [5] As fighting continues around the strategic city of Kostiantynivka, Zelenskyy said Russia was losing a maximum amount of troops in its bid to advance into Ukraine’s fortress belt of eastern cities. [5] He also noted recent gains by Ukrainian troops in southeastern Ukraine and said the amount of territory occupied by Russia and liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2026 would be equal. [5]
Ongoing Russian Attacks and Air Defence Shortages
Russian strikes continue across Ukraine, including deadly attacks in Donetsk and Kharkiv, while Zelenskyy highlighted a shortage of Patriot missiles and plans for domestic production and alternative Starlink systems. [1] Overnight Russian strikes in the eastern Donetsk region killed two people and wounded two others on Sunday, with at least 141 private homes damaged. [1] Another eight people, including a child, were wounded in a drone attack on the northeastern city of Kharkiv that burned at least two residential buildings. [1] A Russian drone also hit a passenger train travelling from Zhytomyr to Odesa in the Odesa region, though no casualties were reported. [1] Zelenskyy said Ukraine has received just 264 Patriot missiles in 2026, down from 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023. [1] He added that Russia is aiming to develop a capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year. [5] Ukraine is seeking to produce Patriot missiles domestically after receiving political blessing from United States President Donald Trump. [1] The president also said Moscow and Kyiv are building their own versions of Starlink, with Russia’s alternative, developed together with the Chinese, expected to be operational by December. [1] Ukraine is implementing a similar project with a European country. [1]
Funding Challenges and International Support
Ukraine faces a $27 billion defence funding gap this year due to higher-than-expected spending, needing at least $8 billion for a normal start to 2027 plus $20 billion more for salaries and family payments. [1] Ukraine has reached an agreement with France for at least one SAMP/T air defence system this year. [1] It has also reached an agreement with Germany on the supply of about 600 PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors through 2028. [5] Norway said on Sunday it would give 85 billion crowns, or $9.2 billion, to Kyiv for the 2027 fiscal year, in line with what it provided in 2026. [1] Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s air force has asked for 360 missile interceptors for the coming winter season amid expectations of further Russian strikes on the energy grid. [5]
Public Opinion and Path Forward
Polling data shows most Ukrainians oppose elections until after the war ends. [3] An August 5 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 57 percent of Ukrainians want elections only after fighting ends. [3] Only 15 percent of Ukrainians believe elections should be held before the end of hostilities, according to a poll by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology. [4] Zelenskyy’s approval rating has remained generally stable at about 60 percent, though pollsters have said Ukrainians want fresh faces in politics while showing little appetite for voting now. [3] He echoed that elections in war are prohibited by Ukrainian law and that security concerns, millions of Ukrainians abroad or under occupation, and disinformation threats make a vote too difficult. [4]
What to watch next: Zelenskyy said Ukraine will continue hunting Russian ballistic missile launchers while expanding domestic production of air defence systems and alternative satellite communications, even as Russia ramps up its own missile output and alternative Starlink capabilities.
