Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has "questions to answer" regarding corruption within his administration, his dismissed defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, has stated. Speaking in a recent interview, Fedorov suggested that a major money laundering investigation launched last week raises serious doubts about how much the president knew about potential misconduct among his closest associates.
The 35-year-old former minister pointed to a case uncovered by Ukraine's anti-corruption bureau, which exposed a scheme to misappropriate more than $3 million (approximately £2.2 million) in Ukrainian currency. The funds were allegedly intended to pay bail for a former energy minister accused of money laundering.
In the wake of the revelations, a senior official in Zelensky's office was dismissed for alleged involvement. Fedorov had released a video highlighting political corruption just one day before the official investigation was made public.
Fedorov argued that the situation places the responsibility on the president to clarify his position. "Let him answer this question… I believe that he's ready for such questions," Fedorov said. "It's his responsibility to tell us all whether he was aware of all that or not… I don't want to make any assumptions." However, Fedorov clarified that he has no evidence of the president being personally corrupt, noting that during his tenure, he never received any illegal or compromising directives from Zelensky.
He added that the two have not been in contact for a couple of weeks.
Responding to the comments, a spokesperson for the president's office questioned Fedorov's sudden public criticism. The spokesperson noted that because the former minister had been a part of every Ukrainian government since 2019, it was unusual for him to speak as though he were separate from those administrations, adding that no such strong statements had been heard from him during his time in office.
Fedorov countered by stating that while he had successfully rooted out corrupt elements within military procurement, the issue of corruption continues to negatively impact Ukraine's capabilities on the frontlines.
The former defense minister also defended his controversial call for wartime presidential elections, asserting that "democracy should not be the hostage of Putin." While angry protests erupted following his dismissal, public demonstrations ended on Wednesday after his successor was officially confirmed, and his call for a wartime vote has been widely dismissed by political figures. Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, legally suspending all elections.
Nevertheless, Fedorov insisted he has a "moral right" to initiate a national conversation about holding a vote, warning that if elections are permanently sidelined, "then we are no longer a democracy." In his earlier public address, he argued that citizens cannot be expected to live indefinitely without understanding the reasoning behind key government decisions.
Federov has called for elections and declined to answer if he backs Zelensky. He stopped short of declaring his own political ambitions, though he did not rule out a future presidential run. "What's more important, is whether people will tell me, yeah, we can trust you handling that position," he said.
Zelensky has firmly rejected the prospect of holding elections during the conflict, stating on Sunday that wartime voting presents an immense danger. "I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk," the president remarked, warning that a vote at this time would act as a "tsunami" capable of splitting the country.
Independent experts have also highlighted significant logistical barriers, including the difficulty of securing votes from active-duty soldiers, millions of displaced refugees, and citizens living in Russian-occupied territories, alongside the threat of Russian disinformation campaigns.
Asked if he missed his former cabinet post, Fedorov gave a definitive "No," citing the relentless stress of managing the war against Russia while simultaneously restructuring the defense ministry. Fedorov, who also previously served as the digital transformation minister, is widely credited with modernizing Ukraine's military by establishing an "army of drones" to replace personnel on the battlefield.
This shift has enabled long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russian military targets, oil refineries, and distribution hubs located thousands of kilometers past the border.
Fedorov confirmed he will continue to advocate for advanced technological warfare and plans to travel to the United States in the coming weeks. During the trip, he hopes to meet with billionaire Elon Musk to discuss the Starlink satellite communications system, which has been vital to Ukraine's military operations. Fedorov aims to persuade Musk to extend Starlink's coverage into Russian airspace to assist with Ukrainian targeting, while ensuring the Russian government cannot access the technology.
Additionally, Fedorov criticized the administrative bureaucracy in the United Kingdom and other allied nations for causing delays in weapons deliveries. While expressing deep gratitude for the UK's contribution of £16 billion in military aid since the war began—including British-made drones used in recent attacks on Russian targets—he warned that "red tape" is costing lives. "Governments are lagging behind the realities on the ground," Fedorov said, noting that announced assistance often fails to arrive until the end of the calendar year.
He emphasized that timely support benefits the allies as well: "Unfortunately, our losses, our blood, our military experience is beneficial to all of you guys. You can get this experience for all the assistance that you give us."
Correction 23 August: This article originally said Mykhailo Fedorov's video highlighting political corruption was released the same day a money laundering investigation was announced into lawmakers and bankers. It has been corrected to reflect that the video was released the day before the announcement.
