Zelensky ordered to prepare for elections: what the military say – will the army be able to vote
16 December 18:04
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed to prepare a bill that will provide for the possibility of organizing elections during martial law. This was reported by sources of RBC-Ukraine, according to
It is expected that the electoral process may include multi-day voting, and the elections themselves are planned to be held within 60 days – similar to the procedure for early presidential elections.
Ceasefire is a basic condition for holding elections
In an exclusive commentary for
outlined the key risks and conditions under which it is theoretically possible to talk about holding elections during the war. In his opinion, there are currently far fewer answers than questions.
Bratchuk calls a complete ceasefire along the entire contact line the primary prerequisite for any electoral process.
“Today we are talking about a basic concept – a ceasefire along the entire front line. And it is obvious that the ball is now in President Trump’s court, who has begun to force these events,” he emphasized.
According to Bratchuk, such activity on the part of the United States looks like an attempt to play in favor of Russia, which expects to receive political dividends.
“Let’s call a spade a spade – this is an attempt to play along with the Russian Federation,” he said.
Serhiy Bratchuk emphasized that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is doing everything possible to prevent Ukraine from being accused of disrupting any peace initiatives.
“The President of Ukraine, in my opinion, sometimes even does the impossible to avoid giving a reason to say that Ukraine is against any peace agreement,” explained the UDA speaker.
At the same time, he is skeptical about the prospects for a quick end to the war.
“The war is ongoing and it will not end today or tomorrow,” Bratchuk added.
According to him, Russia continues massive attacks on both infrastructure and rear cities of Ukraine.
“We see attacks on both our infrastructure and rear cities. Although on the battlefield, not everything is going as well for the Russians strategically as they planned,” he said.
Elections: organization and problems
Even with a hypothetical ceasefire, the election issues remain extremely complicated.
“This includes the election campaign, the opportunity for the military, including those who are at zero, to vote, and the organization of polling stations,” Bratchuk listed.
According to him, there are so many nuances that it is premature to talk about real readiness.
“We can pass laws, we can organize voting – we can do everything. But the issue is security,” he emphasized.
Security guarantees: the key issue
The speaker paid special attention to the topic of security guarantees during the elections and the possible role of international partners.
“Who will be involved in security guarantees and how? Who will monitor their implementation and what will be the punishment for violations?” Bratchuk asked.
According to Bratchuk, the electoral process can be disrupted by elementary means.
“It is enough to launch one or two drones and the alarm will sound in the region. People’s reaction is obvious – they will take shelter. Is it possible to disrupt the vote in this way? Of course, yes,” he explained.
What the military say
In a commentary to Kommersant Ukrainsky, Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Yevhen Ievlev, call sign “Sheikh,” emphasized that for the military, elections are not an “unnecessary luxury,” but rather a sign of a normal state for which they are fighting. At the same time, he said, it is about normal elections – free, competitive and safe.
“Given the regular missile and drone attacks, as well as the presence of temporarily occupied territories, it is extremely difficult to organize voting so that it is fair and does not become a target for the enemy,” the military said.
Ievlev also drew attention to the current legal framework: holding elections during martial law is prohibited by law. According to him, this is not a political whim, but a norm that is in line with Ukrainian legislation and recognized by international institutions.
Separately, the soldier outlined the position of many of his colleagues: they do not oppose the elections as such, but are categorically against their imitation.
“Voting “under the sirens”, without a full-fledged election campaign, with limited access to polling stations and under the threat of massive attacks on Election Day will be a blow to the credibility of the results and a gift for Russian propaganda. This is exactly what the enemy wants,” he emphasized.
According to Ievlev, there is indeed a demand for elections in Ukraine, both in society and among international partners. However, security remains the key condition.
“Holding elections under fire means putting people in danger and questioning the legitimacy of the results. That is why elections are possible only after a complete ceasefire,” the military summarized.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defense Forces officer Yevhen “Tykhyi” in an exclusive commentary noted that there is a clear understanding among the military that holding elections during a full-scale war is premature. According to him, although elections in a democratic state are important and necessary to prevent the usurpation of power, they are not appropriate at this stage for a number of objective reasons.
Firstly, emphasizes officer Tikhiy, “horses do not change hands at the crossing” – in the conditions of war and an aggravated, uncertain political situation, a change of power can create additional risks to state stability.
Second, the election process can be used by the enemy. We are talking about possible attempts to bribe, provoke or promote pro-Russian political forces.
The third factor is the physical safety of citizens during the voting, which cannot be guaranteed in the face of constant missile and drone attacks.
In addition, Yevhen “Tykhyi” draws attention to the unequal conditions for the formation of public sentiment during martial law.
According to him, electoral sympathies are largely formed emotionally and may not reflect a balanced political position. The officer also emphasized the financial aspect: the organization of elections requires significant budgetary expenditures, which in times of war should be better spent on defense and support for the Security and Defense Forces.
