Mykhailo Fedorov, a 35-year-old Ukrainian defense minister who had no military education or combat experience, previously gained a reputation as a reformer while serving as the minister of digital transformation. After being appointed defense minister in January, he was responsible for logistics, budget, reforms, anti-corruption measures, and attracting billions in Western aid and loans.
According to Al Jazeera, after his appointment, Fedorov presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a list of urgent problems and possible solutions. Among them, he cited a “chaotic” management system, constant rotations of command staff, non-transparent distribution of weapons and military equipment, bureaucracy, resistance to reforms from the General Staff of the Armed Forces under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, decision-making based on personal loyalty rather than data analysis, as well as the “isolation” of effective commanders and reform supporters. However, on Wednesday, just seven months after his appointment, Zelensky dismissed Fedorov from his post.
Fedorov’s attempts to reform the Ukrainian army caused discontent among Syrsky. At the same time, as noted by Al Jazeera, his dismissal provoked an even stronger reaction in Ukrainian society and could create a serious political challenge for Zelensky. Since then, protests have taken place in Kyiv and other major cities of the country, which, by the standards of wartime, have become some of the largest. “He is a young, intelligent, educated person who has proven with his previous work that he is a real reformer and can make Ukraine a nation of the future,” a protest participant Taisiya, who did not give her last name for security reasons, told Al Jazeera. She added: “He is outstanding because he is a decent, honest person, and I trust him. I would like to see him as the president of Ukraine.”
Fedorov’s Reforms and Reactions to Them
Although combat operations were actually led by Syrsky — a 60-year-old four-star general praised for the defense of Kyiv and the liberation of northeastern Ukraine in 2022, but also criticized for heavy personnel losses — Fedorov focused on reforming the work of the Ministry of Defense. He initiated technological changes that many compared to Silicon Valley management approaches.
According to the publication, he significantly increased the use of drones, including medium- and long-range strike drones that struck Russian supply routes, ammunition and fuel depots, oil refineries, and air defense systems. He also promoted the use of drones with artificial intelligence capable of independently identifying targets without constant communication with the operator, which Russia can jam, and increased the number of ground robotic platforms for delivering ammunition, food, and evacuating the wounded.
Fedorov also intensified the fight against corruption, making arms procurement more transparent. As noted by Al Jazeera, these reforms caused discontent among Syrsky, but at the same time made service easier for many Ukrainian military personnel. “Fedorov increased the efficiency of his ministry, and this was reflected in the success of Ukrainian strikes on Russia,” analyst Ihor Tyshkevych stated. According to him, given the “extremely low popularity” of Syrsky, most Ukrainians positively assessed Fedorov’s activities.
During the protests, participants held signs with inscriptions “Fedorov is hell for Russia,” “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” and “Zelensky shot himself in the foot.” There were few military personnel among the protesters, and most of them refused to comment, fearing the reaction of the command. Those who agreed to speak positively assessed the results of Fedorov’s work.
“There were no miracles. But the results were good,” drone operator Borys, who was on leave from the eastern front, told Al Jazeera. According to him, Fedorov failed to solve a number of systemic problems, including the duration of military service, the lack of recruits, and the increase in the number of desertions. At the same time, he made unconventional decisions. Thus, in February, Fedorov, according to the publication, convinced Elon Musk’s company SpaceX to temporarily disable all Starlink terminals in Ukraine. The system only started working again after the devices were rechecked, and thousands of terminals that had been smuggled into Russia and used by its military no longer worked. This, as the material claims, temporarily worsened the accuracy of Russian drone attacks and the quality of communication between military personnel. “Vata rejoices [at Fedorov’s dismissal],” Borys summarized.
Some Russian commentators also positively received his dismissal. “It’s very good that Zelensky removed [Fedorov] from managing the army,” Russian military blogger Oleksiy Zhyvov wrote on Telegram. According to him, “he was too smart and effective for the enemy. Now everything should become simpler.” Other pro-Kremlin analysts began to suggest versions about Fedorov’s alleged attempt to throw a political challenge to Zelensky. “This is a political rebellion. Formally, Fedorov does not demand Zelensky’s resignation, but calls on him to cancel his own decision,” Moscow analyst Serhiy Markov wrote.
Political Consequences for Zelensky
According to the head of the Kyiv analytical center “Penta” Volodymyr Fesenko, the protests, the resignations of two of Fedorov’s advisors, and reports of the Verkhovna Rada’s unwillingness to support the candidate for the new defense minister indicate that Zelensky has found himself in a “deadlock situation.” “So far, Zelensky has no solution,” he told Al Jazeera.
Fedorov himself also publicly responded to his dismissal. During a briefing on Thursday, he accused Commander-in-Chief Syrsky of “weaving intrigues” and attempts to “split” Ukraine instead of focusing on the war. “Syrsky saved our country in 2022, but the war has completely changed, and we must also change,” Fedorov stated. “We took the initiative on the battlefield and in the sky, and now this trajectory is being disrupted. That’s why people are protesting.”
Fedorov emphasized that he remains loyal to Zelensky and suggested that the decision to dismiss him could still be reviewed. At the same time, as noted by Al Jazeera, the protests and the growth of his popularity could further complicate relations between him and the president, who plans to be re-elected after the end of the war against the backdrop of falling ratings due to corruption scandals involving his associates. “Suddenly, Fedorov comes and gains popularity, and Zelensky, who is not becoming more popular, dismisses him,” Ihor Tyshkevych noted. In his opinion, the resignation turned Fedorov into a “typical folk hero who suffered for the truth.” “For Zelensky, he becomes a threat on the political battlefield,” the analyst summarized.
