Fedorov Out as Ukraine Defense Minister
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- Fedorov will not be resubmitted as defense minister by Zelenskyy after half a year in the role, with the president citing his conflict with commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi and failed mobilization reform
- Fedorov persuaded SpaceX to switch off Starlink terminals being used by the Russian military and helped launch Ukraine's mid-range drone strike campaign hitting targets up to 100 kilometers behind front lines
- Fedorov introduced after-action reviews that improved Ukrainian air force drone interception rates, but Ukraine still could not source enough Patriot interceptor missiles, allowing more Russian ballistic missiles to hit cities
- Fedorov launched a military service reform last month offering higher pay to frontline troops, easier return for draft dodgers, and pathways for foreign volunteers — but Ukraine's broader mobilization difficulties persisted
- Zelenskyy is expected to nominate current Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as Fedorov's replacement; PM Yulia Svyrydenko stepped down Sunday and the full Cabinet resigned, marking Zelenskyy's third reshuffle as president
- Maria Berlinska, a prominent Ukrainian military volunteer, called the firing a 'fatal mistake'; Fedorov's supporters plan to protest in Kyiv on Thursday
Why it matters: Removing the technocratic reformer who secured the Starlink cutoff and the 100-kilometer drone campaign leaves Ukraine with an unresolved Patriot interceptor shortage and persistent mobilization shortfalls, while Zelenskyy hands the defense portfolio to an interior minister rather than another change-agent. Fedorov's backers frame the sacking as sidelining innovation precisely when Ukraine's manpower and air-defense gaps are widening.
