Zelenski Dismisses Defense Minister Fedorov; Strengthening the Seat

Following Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski's decision to restructure the government, Defense Minister Mihailo Fedorov submitted his resignation on Wednesday evening. In a statement on his Telegram and X accounts, Fedorov stated that he was honored to serve the Ukrainian people as defense minister. As part of the cabinet revision announced on Sunday, Prime Minister Yuliya Sviridenko had also left her post.

It is evaluated that there is a strategic calculation behind Fedorov's dismissal. It is noted that his ministry faced resistance from overly traditional military generals. According to Vitaly Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Center, Fedorov tried to bring objective evaluation criteria to the army that did not exist before. These reform efforts envisaged the distribution of resources based on objective data, and therefore disturbed the old conservative cadres within the army. It is commented that the change made strengthens the hand of General Sırsky, rather than the army's Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zalujni.