Five Ukrainian service members and veterans interviewed after Mykhailo Fedorov’s Aug. 18 video largely rejected holding elections during the war, calling the idea unrealistic, unsafe and politically distracting.
Front-line troops said missile and drone attacks, occupied districts, soldiers’ limited access to voting and campaigning, and doubts over any digital system make a fair ballot nearly impossible under martial law.
Several also questioned Fedorov’s motives after his mid-July dismissal, saying his appeal looked like a test of political support and warning an election race could pull attention and even military units away from the front.
The backlash lands as protests over Fedorov’s removal continue, though one veteran said demonstrators were focused on corruption and abuse of power, not backing him as a political candidate or demanding immediate elections.