The Kremlin "applauds" the call of former Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov for organizing elections during wartime: "The situation is as Vladimir Putin stated"

The Kremlin noted deep divisions within the leadership of Ukraine, following the appeal of former defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who called for elections during wartime.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that elections are necessary for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to have the legitimacy needed in negotiations with Russia.

Peskov described the regime in Kiev as heterogeneous, with various leaders taking advantage of the current crisis, some invoking democracy while others ignore it. Fedorov highlighted that Ukraine is facing a "systemic governance crisis" due to corruption, which poses a major challenge for Zelensky.

The Ukrainian government claims that it cannot organize elections during martial law, in the context of defending against external aggression.