A rival’s bombshell and a new corruption probe heap untimely pressure on Ukraine’s ZelenskyyOusted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s explosive call for wartime national elections meant he had “crossed the Rubicon in his relationship with” his former boss, one Kyiv-based analyst said.Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in Kyiv in May.Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP via Getty ImagesAug. 19, 2026, 1:00 PM EDTFrom loyal staffer to bombshell-dropping rival: Ukraine’s ousted defense minister has made his move, with a call for wartime elections that put him in direct confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.
A rival’s bombshell and a new corruption probe heap untimely pressure on Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
Ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s explosive call for wartime national elections meant he had “crossed the Rubicon in his relationship with” his former boss, one Kyiv-based analyst said.
98 words~1 min read
