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Holding election in wartime would risk destroying Ukraine, says Zelenskyy

President sharply criticises proposal, saying ‘elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said holding elections in Ukraine during wartime would risk splitting the country at a time when Russia is amassing ballistic missiles and considering whether to mobilise an extra 300,000 soldiers. The Ukrainian president, responding for the first time to a demand made by the sacked former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sharply criticised an idea that he said was impractical given Russia appeared to have no interest in a ceasefire. “I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move in the selection of elections,” Zelenskyy said in a briefing to selected journalists that was held on Saturday, but details of which were reported on Sunday. “I believe that during such a war, elections in general are big risks. Elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was imposed at the start of the full-scale invasion by Russia .

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Scoop News DeskUkraine · Published Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:50 AM UTCUpdated Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:56 AM UTC

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Zelenskyy said, according to a transcript from the briefing, that if Ukraine’s allies were to establish “specific conditions” under which elections could be safely, legitimately and democratically held in Ukraine, he would support them. It would be a “peripheral mobilisation” conducted away from Moscow, St Petersburg and other main cities in an effort to regain momentum in the almost deadlocked frontline, he said.

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Dated changes to this report are shown here as they are published.

Version 2unpublished
Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:39 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy
Version 3published
Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:40 AM UTC
President sharply criticises proposal, saying ‘elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said holding elections in Ukraine during wartime would risk splitting the country at a time when Russia is amassing ballistic missiles and considering whether to mobilise an extra 300,000 soldiers. The Ukrainian president, responding for the first time to a demand made by the sacked former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sharply criticised an idea that he said was impractical given Russia appeared to have no interest in a ceasefire. “I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move in the selection of elections,” Zelenskyy said in a briefing to selected journalists that was held on Saturday, but details of which were reported on Sunday. “I believe that during such a war, elections in general are big risks. Elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was imposed at the start of the full-scale invasion by Russia .
Version 4unpublished
Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:56 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy