Protests took place in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on July 16 as citizens expressed their disapproval of Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to a report by local publication Suspilne. Fedorov confirmed that he was leaving the post the day before.
Fedorov, 35, is widely seen as a key architect of Ukraine’s drone-focused approach to the war against Russia. He led the Defense Ministry for six months before being excluded from the new government that is being formed after the Cabinet’s resignation earlier this week.
Pavlo Yelizarov, deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, also submitted his resignation, calling Fedorov’s departure “a great evil for Ukraine’s defense capability.”
In Kyiv, Fedorov’s supporters gathered in the square near the Ivan Franko Theater, chanting “Shame” and “Bring Fedorov back.” Some held signs reading “Don’t touch what works” and “Vova, what are you doing?”
Rallies in support of Fedorov also took place in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Odesa, and Ternopil, among other cities.
Ukrainska Pravda, citing an unnamed lawmaker from Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, reported that the president had explained the decision as stemming from a prolonged conflict between Fedorov and General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the outlet’s source, Zelensky told lawmakers that he wanted to “balance relations between the army and the government.”
The Economist has reported that Fedorov tried to introduce Silicon Valley-style business practices into the military, running into fierce resistance from the generals, led by Syrskyi. An audit of the Defense Ministry launched by Fedorov found overspending of about 300 billion hryvnias, roughly $6.6 billion. After that, Fedorov introduced mandatory polygraph tests for ministry officials and moved procurement of 155mm shells to open tenders. He also sought Syrskyi’s dismissal, but Zelensky did not support the proposal.
During his six months as defense minister, Fedorov announced reforms to mobilization and territorial recruitment centers, promising to make the system transparent, digital, and efficient. He also emphasized drones and the digitalization of the army.
The Financial Times, citing Ukrainian sources, reported that Fedorov was being removed despite support from major technology companies that had provided resources to Ukraine’s defense forces. The outlet mentioned his contacts with Palantir CEO Alex Karp, former Google chief Eric Schmidt, and SpaceX owner Elon Musk.
