ROME, August 20. /TASS/. Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to Vladimir Zelensky’s office, has responded to former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov's statement on the need for elections in Ukraine by declaring that holding them is currently impossible.

"Frankly speaking, there are other spending priorities today. There are no conditions today to guarantee the holding of the vote," Podolyak said in an interview with La Repubblica. He cited ongoing hostilities, "occupied territories," and the displacement of citizens as obstacles. "It is impossible to guarantee the security of the vote, and this condition is stipulated by the law, which remains in effect," he added.

Earlier, Fedorov published a video on his YouTube channel in which he declared a systemic crisis of governance in Ukraine and the need to hold elections in the country. Western media reported that this raised questions about Zelensky’s legitimacy. Zelensky’s presidential term officially expired on May 20, 2024, but Kiev has not held regular elections, claiming that this is impossible as long as martial law stays in effect. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized that Zelensky’s presidential term "has expired, along with his legitimacy, which cannot be restored by any means.".