Political tension in Ukraine has reached a critical point in recent hours. The authorities in Kiev officially reacted to the sensational video address of the recently dismissed Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov, who called for the holding of presidential elections despite the state of war. Official representatives of the government and the presidential administration categorically rejected the call, defining it as “inadequate“ and “dangerous for national security“.
Elections during war? Kiev vs. Fedorov
In its official comments, the political leadership in Kiev emphasized that holding any vote is currently legally impossible due to the current martial law. According to analysts from the blog of Club Z, organizing elections would be a logistical nightmare – millions of Ukrainians are displaced abroad, over a million are serving at the front, and a fifth of the territory of the country is occupied.
However, Fedorov's supporters recall his words: “Democracy cannot be a hostage to Russia“. As reported by DW Bulgaria, the former minister accused the system of a deep governance crisis and blocking reforms due to demands for personal loyalty. The topic has electrified Ukrainian society, with sporadic civil protests in his support continuing in Kiev, they note in their review by FACTS.
Operation “Forrest Gump“: The Government Responds to NABU
In parallel with the political debate about the vote, the government in Kiev was forced to urgently respond to another strong shock - the large-scale anti-corruption operation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), codenamed “Forrest Gump“.
The investigation is directed against an organized criminal group for money laundering, which includes current and former deputies, as well as senior officials. In response to the revelations and the searches carried out, the Ukrainian government and President Volodymyr Zelensky took immediate administrative measures. Zelensky dismissed a key figure in his administration - Irina Mudra, who held the post of deputy head of the presidential administration and was responsible for judicial reform. Details of the dismissal and the SRPs published by the NABU were announced on the air of Nova TV. The government spokesman assured that the cabinet is fully cooperating with the investigators to clear the stain on the administration.
Zelensky warned: A new period of instability is coming in Europe
Amidst the domestic scandals, President Volodymyr Zelensky made a sharp statement aimed at international partners. He warned that with the onset of the new autumn political season, Europe is threatened with serious political and economic instability if support for Ukraine weakens.
In the context of complicated transatlantic relations and pressure for territorial concessions, Zelensky stressed that internal divisions in the EU and the faltering defense potential of the Old Continent could be used by the Kremlin for destabilization. An analysis of threats to the European project in the current year 2026 was published by Euronews Bulgaria, which states that European leaders will have to balance between domestic discontent and external geopolitical pressure.
Venice Festival rejects accusations over film “DAU“ (Landau)
The cultural front of opposition also flared up after the organizers of the Venice International Film Festival categorically rejected the official protests of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Kiev insisted on the removal of the controversial film “DAU“ by director Ilya Khrzhanovsky (a project dedicated to the Soviet physicist Lev Landau) from the main competition for the “Golden Lion“.
The Ukrainian side accused the creators of the film of indirect financing by sanctioned Russian oligarchs and using culture as a tool for hybrid warfare, the English-language publication reported Kyiv Independent. However, the Venice Film Festival directorate responded that art should remain politically neutral and refused to impose censorship, confirming the film's participation in the official program, the art portal reports. data-hveid="CAIIAQgcEAI" data-processed="true" data-ved="2ahUKEwjFgO7K_K2WAxUnAtsEHa1_Fr4Qy_kOeggIAggBCBwQAg" href="https://www.ploshtadslaveikov.com/ukrajna-protestira-sreshtu-film-na-ruski-rezhisor-na-festivala-vav-venetsiya/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.ploshtadslaveikov.com/ukrajna-protestira-sreshtu-film-na-ruski-rezhisor-na-festivala-vav-venetsiya/&ved=2ahUKEwjFgO7K_K2WAxUnAtsEHa1_Fr4Qy_kOeggIAggBCBwQAg&opi=89978449" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Slaveykov Square.
The situation in Ukraine remains highly dynamic, and the Verkhovna Rada is expected to issue extraordinary declarations on hot topics in the coming hours.