Defence minister sacked by Zelensky calls for elections in Ukraine

Ukraine's popular ex-defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, ousted last month, on Tuesday, August 18, called for a move toward elections that have been put off because of the Russian invasion.

The president has been under increasing pressure at home following the controversial government reshuffle last month in which he pushed out Fedorov, a popular minister credited with inspiring battlefield innovations.

Khmara served ​as acting ‌minister following the abrupt dismissal of ‌his predecessor, Mykhailo Fedorov, in June, which ​sparked public outrage and a week-long ​political crisis ​for Zelensky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a nomination to parliament for Yevhenii Khmara to be appointed defence minister and Andrii Sybiha to be appointed foreign minister.