Sacked Ukrainian defence minister calls for presidential election

Ukraine's popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for wartime elections, in what is widely seen as the biggest challenge to Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency since Russia's full-scale invasion four and a half years ago.

Fedorov's video address came just hours after Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally nominated Yevhen Khmara as defence minister, closing the door on Fedorov’s return to government.

Martial law has been in place in Ukraine since February 2022, under which elections are suspended.