Ukrainians took to the streets in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and other cities on Thursday to protest President Volodymyr Zelensky’s sudden dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had championed efforts to integrate drone technology and digital tools into the country’s military. Protesters carried signs reading “Bring Fedorov Back” and “We Want to Fight With Drones, Not People,” reflecting frustration among younger Ukrainians and soldiers who saw Fedorov as the driving force behind modernizing a historically bureaucratic institution.
Fedorov, best known for creating Ukraine’s Diia e-government platform as the country’s former digital transformation minister, became Zelensky’s sixth defense minister earlier this year. In a farewell social media post, he said his tenure delivered several concrete wins, including efforts to disrupt Starlink terminals used by Russian drone operators, support for strikes on Russian logistics in occupied Crimea, and procurement reforms he said saved the state billions of hryvnias.
“We purchased more drones in four months than during the entire previous year,” Fedorov wrote, while acknowledging that bigger goals, including a full NATO-aligned restructuring of the Defense Ministry and building a lasting “culture of accountability,” remained unfinished.
Tensions With Military Leadership
Zelensky’s office has not officially explained the reasons for Fedorov’s removal. Several Ukrainian outlets, citing anonymous government sources, reported that friction between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi played a role. At a news conference, Fedorov confirmed he had pushed to replace Syrskyi, whose leadership style has drawn criticism from some younger officers, but said Zelensky rejected the proposal.
Fedorov said he initially continued working alongside Syrskyi after that decision, but cooperation eventually “reached a dead end” as his team’s proposals faced growing resistance. Syrskyi later thanked Fedorov publicly, saying Ukraine’s focus should remain on “the war and an effective strategy.”
Broader Government Reshuffle
The dismissal is part of a wider cabinet shakeup that has drawn criticism from civil society groups and officials who question restructuring senior government roles in the middle of an active war. Parliament on Thursday confirmed Sergiy Koretsky, previously head of state energy company Naftogaz, as the new prime minister, along with most other cabinet nominees. Candidates for defense and foreign minister positions have yet to be submitted for approval.
Zelensky has said Fedorov will remain part of his team in some capacity, though no new role has been announced.