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Gone quiet · last update Sep 7, 2026 / Ukraine

The Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine's politics under martial law

Overview · reviewed October 28, 2026

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, with elections suspended and Volodymyr Zelenskyy remaining president.[1][2] Wartime political disputes have centered on corruption investigations, changes in civilian and military leadership, and whether an election can be held during the fighting. In July 2026, protests after Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov's dismissal were followed by the removal of commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.[3][4] Fedorov later called for elections, which Zelenskyy opposed during the war.[5]

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Wartime political disputes have centered on corruption investigations, changes in civilian and military leadership, and whether an election can be held during the fighting. In July 2026, protests after Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov's dismissal were followed by the removal of commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.[3][4] Fedorov later called for elections, which Zelenskyy opposed during the war.[5]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Feb 2022: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeksMar 2022: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2022: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2022: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2022: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2023: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share under 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 4% (left 2%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 1% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share under 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 10 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (42 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Sep 7, 20260022 of 480under 1%
Aug 31, 20263003 of 4751%
Aug 24, 20264329 of 4662%
Aug 17, 202649417 of 4644%
Aug 3, 20260011 of 537under 1%
Jul 20, 20269181138 of 5627%
Jul 13, 20261018937 of 5597%
Jul 6, 20265218 of 5601%
Dec 29, 20252316 of 1664%
Dec 8, 202528313 of 1847%
Nov 24, 2025417526 of 15317%
Nov 10, 20251214 of 1882%
Aug 25, 20253216 of 1993%
Jul 21, 202579319 of 19010%
Mar 17, 20251113 of 1952%
Mar 10, 20250112 of 1981%
Mar 3, 20250123 of 2021%
Feb 24, 20250044 of 1972%
Nov 18, 20242338 of 2254%
Sep 2, 2024713424 of 21211%
Aug 19, 20241517 of 2093%
Jul 15, 20242125 of 2202%
Jun 24, 202476316 of 2506%
Jun 17, 20242125 of 2222%
Apr 8, 202478318 of 2647%
Mar 25, 202445312 of 2455%
Feb 5, 20241616739 of 24216%
Jan 29, 20242305 of 2352%
Jan 22, 2024411419 of 2388%
Nov 6, 20231203 of 2371%
Oct 30, 202346010 of 2334%
Sep 4, 20231221437 of 25315%
Aug 28, 2023109322 of 2658%
Aug 7, 20232226 of 2592%
Jan 23, 20233339 of 1935%
Nov 28, 20222338 of 1884%
Jul 18, 202254110 of 1915%
Jul 11, 202237212 of 1886%
Apr 11, 202267316 of 1928%
Mar 28, 20222125 of 1853%
Mar 14, 20222338 of 1834%
Feb 21, 20221304 of 2002%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Sep 7, 2026 · first reported · Headline from The Guardian

    Ukraine’s prosecutor general quits after anti-corruption agents raid his office

Background

Russia's full-scale invasion brought martial law and the suspension of elections in Ukraine in February 2022.[1] President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suspended 11 parties with ties to Russia, dismissed two senior security officials he accused of being traitors, and removed his security chief and prosecutor general in July.[6][7][8] Ukrainian authorities also detained Viktor Medvedchuk, an oligarch close to Vladimir Putin.[9]

Read the full background (6 more paragraphs)

Corruption investigations repeatedly put pressure on the government. Several senior officials lost their jobs in January 2023, including the deputy head of the presidential office and regional governors.[10] Zelenskyy dismissed the heads of regional military recruitment offices that August over bribery allegations.[11] He replaced Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov with Rustem Umerov in September, after corruption scandals at the ministry.[12][13] Authorities separately arrested oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky on fraud and money-laundering charges.[14] In January 2024, Ukraine's security service accused employees of an arms firm and defense officials of embezzling almost $40 million intended for mortar shells.[15]

Disagreements over military leadership also became public. Zelenskyy rejected General Valerii Zaluzhnyi's assessment of a battlefield stalemate in November 2023, then dismissed him as commander-in-chief in February 2024.[16][17] Longtime presidential aide Serhiy Shefir and several advisers were removed the next month.[18] Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba resigned ahead of a cabinet reshuffle in September 2024.[19]

The independence of anti-corruption investigators became a separate political dispute in July 2025. tightened government oversight of two agencies, prompting mass protests. Zelenskyy then promised legislation to restore their independence.[20] In November, investigators described an alleged $100 million kickback scheme involving energy contracts and associates of the president; two ministers resigned.[21] Anti-corruption agencies searched chief of staff Andrii Yermak's home on November 28, and he resigned that day.[22][23] Zelenskyy appointed military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to replace him in January 2026.[24]

Further cases reached senior officials in 2026. Anti-corruption agencies said in August that a deputy head of the presidential office was suspected in a money-laundering case. Zelenskyy dismissed deputy chief of staff Iryna Mudra; Zelenskyy was not implicated in the case.[25] Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko submitted his resignation the next month after anti-corruption agents raided his office. He denied the allegations against him.[26]

A leadership crisis unfolded alongside those investigations. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stepped down on July 12, 2026, as Zelenskyy announced a change in political strategy.[2] He dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had clashed with Syrskyi.[27][3] Protests began on July 16, demanding Fedorov's return and Syrskyi's removal. Zelenskyy replaced Syrskyi with Mykhailo Drapatyi on July 21, and Fedorov declined an offer to become deputy prime minister.[28][4][29]

The election question remained unresolved. Zelenskyy said in November 2023 that wartime elections were inappropriate.[30] In December 2025, he said a vote could be held within 60 to 90 days if allies guaranteed security.[31] Fedorov called for wartime elections in August 2026, arguing that Ukraine faced a crisis of governance. Zelenskyy replied that an election during the fighting would divide the country.[1][5]

Supporting stories (31)
  1. Ukraine’s ousted minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime elections
  2. Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushes for new government in Ukraine
  3. Protests in Ukraine after Zelenskyy fires popular defense minister
  4. Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires his military chief after protests and names a replacement
  5. Zelensky says wartime election would 'destroy' Ukraine
  6. Zelensky suspends 11 Ukrainian political parties with Russian ties
  7. Zelenskyy says he fired 2 top Ukrainian security officials for being 'traitors'
  8. Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires top security chief and prosecutor
  9. Ukraine's Detention of Oligarch Close to Putin Angers Moscow
  10. Ukraine corruption scandal claims several top officials
  11. Zelenskyy fires Ukrainian military conscription officials in anti-corruption drive
  12. Ukraine's defense minister resigns following Zelenskyy's announcement of his replacement
  13. Ukraine President says defense minister will be replaced this week
  14. Ukrainian oligarch and Zelensky supporter Ihor Kolomoisky arrested in fraud investigation
  15. Ukraine says corrupt officials stole $40 million meant to buy arms for the war with Russia
  16. Tensions grow in Kyiv over status of war, as Zelensky insists conflict with Russia is not at a ‘stalemate’
  17. President Volodymyr Zelensky fires Ukraine's military chief in major shakeup nearly 2 years into war
  18. Zelenskyy fires more aides in a reshuffle as Russia launches drones and missiles across Ukraine
  19. Ukraine’s foreign minister Kuleba resigns as Russian strikes kill 7 people in Lviv
  20. Zelenskyy faces backlash as Ukrainians protest new anti-corruption law - Boston News, Weather, Sports
  21. The Corruption Probe Rocking Ukraine’s Wartime Government
  22. Ukraine anti-corruption police raids the home of Zelensky’s top adviser
  23. Zelenskyy's chief of staff resigns as Ukraine corruption investigations widen
  24. Zelenskyy Names Ukraine's Head of Military Intelligence as His New Chief of Staff
  25. Zelenskyy fires a top aide amid a graft probe as Ukraine’s ex-defense minister demands elections
  26. Ukraine’s prosecutor general quits after anti-corruption agents raid his office
  27. Ukraine’s most effective defense minister? What Fedorov got right, and what his dismissal risks reversing
  28. Ukraine: Thousands take to the streets to protest against Fedorov removal
  29. Ukraine's ousted defense minister rejects Zelenskyy's offer of a different government role
  30. Ukraine President Says 'Not The Time' For Elections
  31. Ukraine is ready to hold elections in next 90 days if allies can guarantee security, Zelensky says

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 53 recorded updates

September 2026

  1. Ukraine’s prosecutor general quits after anti-corruption agents raid his officeHeadline from The Guardian · 5 outlets
  2. Palantir CEO Alex Karp backs former Ukraine Defense Minister’s new defense tech StartupHeadline from Tech Startups · 6 outlets

August 2026

  1. Zelenskyy details rift with dismissed defense minister, saying some of his actions were misguidedHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 10 outlets
  2. Zelensky says wartime election would 'destroy' UkraineHeadline from The Hill · 14 outlets
  3. Zelenskyy fires a top aide amid a graft probe as Ukraine’s ex-defense minister demands electionsHeadline from WHDH Boston · 9 outlets
  4. Ukraine’s ousted minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime electionsHeadline from France 24 · 13 outlets
  5. Ex-top general Zaluzhnyi explains his “Ukraine will never join NATO” remark: I back the Alliance, but it must transform firstHeadline from Euromaidan Press · 4 outlets

July 2026

  1. Ukraine's ousted defense minister rejects Zelenskyy's offer of a different government roleHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 7 outlets
  2. Dismissal of Ukraine's defense minister started a sudden transformation of the militaryHeadline from Jonesboro Sun · 5 outlets
  3. Ukraine's new army chief: who is Mykhailo Drapaty?Headline from WFMZ Allentown · 8 outlets
  4. Two very different men are at the heart of Ukraine's political crisisHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 4 outlets
  5. Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires his military chief after protests and names a replacementHeadline from Washington Times · 44 outlets
  6. Ukraine fights under an interim defense chief after Zelenskyy’s contested government shake-upHeadline from The Columbian · 6 outlets
  7. Ukraine: Thousands take to the streets to protest against Fedorov removalHeadline from France 24 · 4 outlets
  8. Protests in Ukraine after Zelenskyy fires popular defense ministerHeadline from CBS News · 38 outlets
  9. Ukraine’s most effective defense minister? What Fedorov got right, and what his dismissal risks reversingHeadline from The Kyiv Independent · 3 outlets
  10. Ukraine lawmakers approves Koretskyi as new PM amid protestsHeadline from Deutsche Welle · 4 outlets
  11. Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushes for new government in UkraineHeadline from Deutsche Welle · 12 outlets

January 2026

  1. Zelenskyy Names Ukraine's Head of Military Intelligence as His New Chief of StaffHeadline from Military.com · 8 outlets

December 2025

  1. Ukraine is ready to hold elections in next 90 days if allies can guarantee security, Zelensky saysHeadline from KRDO · 16 outlets

November 2025

  1. Zelenskyy's chief of staff resigns as Ukraine corruption investigations widenHeadline from Delaware Public Media · 13 outlets
  2. Ukraine anti-corruption police raids the home of Zelensky’s top adviserHeadline from ABC 17 Mid-Missouri · 17 outlets
  3. The Corruption Probe Rocking Ukraine’s Wartime GovernmentHeadline from Oil Price · 5 outlets

August 2025

  1. Ukrainian lawmaker shot dead in Lviv, officials sayHeadline from Local News 8 · 7 outlets

July 2025

  1. Zelenskyy faces backlash as Ukrainians protest new anti-corruption law - Boston News, Weather, SportsHeadline from WHDH Boston · 20 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →