Skip to the story
All StoriesPoliticsConflict & SecurityBusiness & EconomyScience & TechHealthClimateMedia
All stories
Politics253 outlets ran this2 min read

Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine

Ukrainian president cites 'tsunami' risk in response to calls for a vote during ongoing conflict.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published Updated
Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine

What this story says

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said holding elections during wartime is a significant risk that would divide the country.
  • Zelensky described potential elections as a 'tsunami' that would 'tear apart' Ukraine.
  • His comments were a response to a call for elections from former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
  • Ukrainian law prohibits elections during a state of war.

Who covered it

Left 32%(46)Centre 30%(42)Right 38%(54)

Percentages are shares of the 142 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 111 of the 253 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

59/100

Hype

41/100

253 sources · methodology

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that holding elections during the ongoing war poses a great risk and would split the country. He described the prospect of elections as a 'tsunami' that would 'tear apart' or 'break' Ukraine. Zelensky made these remarks in response to a call for elections from former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Ukrainian law prohibits elections from being held during a state of war. One report also mentioned Zelensky's estimate that Russia plans to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops after September elections.

Disagreement on election timing

While Zelensky stated that holding elections during wartime is a risk, one report notes that his term expires in May 2024. This report also states that Ukrainian law prohibits elections during a state of war.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated digests mention the estimate by President Zelensky that Russia plans to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops after September elections. None of the centre-rated digests mention this estimate. None of the right-rated digests mention this estimate.

Tags:#Ukraine#Elections#Zelensky#WarInUkraine

Coverage settled. We checked this 11 times and stopped on 29 Aug 2026, 04:00. The figures above are what it finished at.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

46 rated outlets

  • The left-rated reports focused on President Zelensky's warning that elections during wartime would 'tear apart' or 'break' Ukraine. These reports highlighted his description of potential elections as a 'tsunami'. Several of these digests mentioned that Zelensky's remarks were in response to a call from former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for elections. One report noted that Zelensky's term expires in May 2024 and that Ukrainian law prohibits elections during a state of war.

Centre

42 rated outlets

  • The centre-rated report led with President Zelensky's statement that a wartime election would 'destroy' the country by splitting Ukrainians. It noted his comments were released to reporters on Sunday and were his first on the subject since former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll.

Right

54 rated outlets

  • Right-rated outlets reported President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warning that holding elections during the ongoing war with Russia could "destroy" or "split" Ukraine. Several digests noted his comments were a response to calls for a wartime poll.
  • The digests mentioned Zelenskyy's statement that elections would divide Ukrainians. One report included his description of holding elections now as a "tsunami for the country."
  • None of the digests mentioned former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov by name or his specific address calling for a wartime poll.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine?
Of the 142 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 32% are rated left, 30% are rated centre, 38% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 253. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 142 rated outlets on this story, 32% are rated left, 30% are rated centre, 38% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine biased?
Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine is one event reported by 253 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Zelensky warns wartime elections risk splitting Ukraine?
253 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
Why does Zelensky say elections during wartime are risky?
President Zelensky stated that holding elections during the current war poses a great risk and would split the country. He described potential elections as a 'tsunami' that would 'tear apart' Ukraine.
Who called for elections in Ukraine?
Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for elections to be held. President Zelensky's remarks were in response to this call.
Can elections be held in Ukraine during wartime?
Ukrainian law prohibits elections from being held during a state of war. President Zelensky has also stated that holding elections during the ongoing conflict would be a significant risk.

Read it at the source

257 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

46
Show 38 more

Centre

43
Show 35 more

Right

56
Show 48 more

Not rated

112
Show 104 more

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

More in Politics

All Politics →
Erdogan and Putin Discuss Black Sea Safety and Ukraine Contacts3 min readErdogan and Putin Discuss Black Sea Safety and Ukraine ContactsRead storySpanish unions agree November 11 general strike over housing3 min readSpanish unions agree November 11 general strike over housingRead storyTrump Claims Rallies Will Cause Midterm Surprise4 min readTrump Claims Rallies Will Cause Midterm SurpriseRead story

Elsewhere on the site

Russia attacks Ukraine with missiles and drones, Kyiv reports explosionsConflict & Security•2 min readRussia attacks Ukraine with missiles and drones, Kyiv reports explosionsZelensky paralajmëron për një sulm të radhës masiv rusConflict & Security•3 min readZelensky says Russia preparing massive attack on UkraineUn immeuble détruit après une frappe russe à Prylouky (Ukraine), le 7 octobre 2026. (SERVICE NATIONAL DES SITUATIONS D'URGENCE DE L'UKRAINE)Conflict & Security•3 min readRussian missile strike kills at least two in Pryluky residential buildingUkraine warns of Russian disinformation campaign in OleshkyConflict & Security•3 min readUkraine warns of Russian disinformation campaign in Oleshky
Zelensky on wartime elections | MediaBias News