Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a sudden decision to remove Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov from his post after just six months on the job, a move that drew immediate public backlash and triggered protests in the capital, Kyiv.
Fedorov, who previously served as Ukraine's minister of Digital Transformation, brought a strong background in military technology to the defense role. His tenure was marked by efforts to modernize Ukraine's defense capabilities amid the ongoing war with Russia.
In a Telegram post, Fedorov reflected on his time leading the country's defense strategy during a period of repeated strikes on civilian infrastructure. “A new structure has been launched, many staff members have been dismissed, and numerous processes have been initiated,” he wrote, according to a translation by The Hill. “My thanks go to everyone defending Ukraine and working towards victory,” he added.
Fedorov highlighted key achievements, including cutting off Russia's access to Starlink, investments in midstrike capabilities, fiber-optic FPVs, low-cost reconnaissance drones, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and interceptor and deep-strike drones. He claimed that under his leadership, Ukraine procured “more drones in four months than in the entire previous year” after inheriting a defense ministry with no budget. He also redirected funds originally earmarked for year-end personnel allowances toward war resources.
Just before Fedorov's dismissal, Ukraine signed two agreements with European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, granting Ukrainian defense companies access to research and development grants under the European Defence Fund (EDF) to scale up production capacities. Fedorov noted on Thursday that his work was not yet complete. “I don’t need to be minister of Defense just to be minister of Defense,” he said in Kyiv, according to NPR. “I need this position so we can win this war.”
Zelensky has already nominated acting Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to replace Fedorov. Reports indicate Fedorov was ousted due to clashes with seasoned military generals as he pushed for changes within Ukraine's defense structure. Despite his short tenure, Fedorov helped Ukraine gain an edge on the battlefield and began restoring a sense of national morale that had waned over more than four years of war with Russia.
The dismissal sparked outrage among some veterans and activists. Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran, wrote on X: “Friends, it’s no longer possible to tolerate what’s happening with our government. The Minister of Defense is being removed from office during effective (finally!) reforms, replaced by a person under whom any reforms can be forgotten.” He added, “We will never defeat Russia as long as the same total mothballing and corruption reign in our army and our ministries.”
The shake-up comes as Ukraine continues to navigate its defense strategy amid the broader conflict. For more on the evolving situation, see our coverage of Ukraine's deep strikes and their impact on Moscow's elite. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been stepping up its involvement, as detailed in recent strikes on Iranian command centers.
