Mikhail Fedorov: Corruption prevents us from ending the war from a position of strength
The former Ukrainian military minister blew up the political space with revelations about defense schemes and commented on when he will decide to participate in the elections
Kyiv, Ukraine – Widespread corruption and deep-rooted schemes in the state apparatus are the main obstacle to Ukraine ending the war with Russia from a clear position of strength. This was announced by the country's former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov in a large-scale interview with “24 Channel“, broadcast on YouTube. According to him, this concerns hundreds of officials who have been accustomed to profiting off the state budget for years. Fedorov, who was dismissed from his post in July 2026, also made a key comment on his possible participation in the country's future presidential and parliamentary elections.
„Hundreds of people are blocking the right decisions for the front“
In his emotional speech, Fedorov emphasized that corruption during wartime is not just a financial crime, but a direct threat to the survival of the nation, as every stolen hryvnia means a lack of drones, ammunition and electronic warfare (EW) systems on the front line.
„Corruption prevents us from ending the war from a strong position. There are a huge number of people who have built various schemes and are pursuing personal interests, thus blocking the adoption of correct and vital decisions. I felt it personally in the Ministry of Defense. I fought against this, destroyed their schemes and stopped them“, the former minister stated categorically.
Fedorov added that both high-ranking politicians and law enforcement officials are entangled in these corruption networks. When asked why he was not naming specific names yet, he replied that “the time will come and all Ukrainians will find out who they are“ through official investigations and journalistic materials. News Agency Interfax-Ukraine quotes him as saying that he remains in staunch opposition to the old and rotten system of government (source: ://interfax.com.ua/news/political/1195131.html).
Elections during wartime: Is their impossibility a myth?
The former Minister of Power's statement comes just days after he published a video address on August 18, which was described by the media as The Guardian as the most direct political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky since the start of the full-scale invasion. Fedorov categorically rejected the authorities' claims that holding the vote during active hostilities is impossible, calling it a “myth“.
According to him, the war could last for years, and Ukraine must find a way to restore democracy to replace the ineffective system of government. However, the Office of the President (OP) was quick to counter his positions, describing his ideas as “devoid of realism” against the backdrop of daily missile attacks (source: ://pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/08/22/8049866/).
When will Fedorov announce his candidacy for president?
Asked directly whether he would run for head of state or enter the battle for parliament, Mikhail Fedorov explained that he had not yet made a final decision and was considering various options.
- Decision in the process: His political future will only become clear when Ukraine officially enters the electoral process.
- Three possible scenarios: Three paths are being discussed around Fedorov – running for office alone, giving full support to another candidate/party, or permanently withdrawing from politics in favor of private business.
- Main priority: Currently, the main task for him and his team is to develop a transparent and secure voting mechanism that does not give an official advantage to a specific party or candidate.
“We must prepare objective elections together with civil society and experts,“ he told the media, quoted by the portal Censor.NET (source: censor.net/ru/news/4019687/fedorov-zayavil-o-vozmojnosti-provedeniya-vyborov-v-ukraine). Fedorov also denied rumors that his planned visit to the US was aimed at seeking political support from Donald Trump, emphasizing that the visit was solely for investment purposes in the field of defense technologies (Defense Tech). In conclusion, the former minister said that he had not spoken personally with President Volodymyr Zelensky for several weeks.