In Ukraine (AFP) – Ukraine’s popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was sacked last month, calls for a move towards elections that have been put off because of the Russian invasion. “Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia… We must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even amidst a prolonged war,” he says in a video posted to YouTube. Fedorov was removed after months of behind-the-scenes clashes with the army command, who he said resisted his calls to change. His dismissal led to widespread anti-government protests in Ukraine.
