Fedorov Firing Sparks Protests, Political Woe for Zelenskyy
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- Zelenskyy sacked Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on Wednesday, seven months after appointing the 35-year-old former digital transformation minister to oversee logistics, budgets, anti-corruption, and multibillion-dollar Western aid deals.
- Fedorov expanded Ukraine's drone fleet, including AI-guided models that identify targets without operator communication Russia can jam, and deployed ground robots to supply and evacuate wounded soldiers, reforms analysts credit with boosting strikes on Russian supply routes, refineries, and air defences.
- In February, Fedorov convinced SpaceX to shut down all Starlink modems in Ukraine to identify thousands smuggled to Russia; the modems used by Russian forces never reconnected, temporarily degrading Moscow's drone precision and frontline communications.
- Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskii, a four-star general dubbed "the butcher" for high soldier losses, pushed back against Fedorov's changes, and his objections preceded the ouster that drew Kyiv rallies with signs reading "Zelenskyy shot himself in the foot."
- Fedorov hit back at a Thursday news briefing, accusing Syrskii of "weaving intrigues" and splitting Ukraine instead of fighting the war; two of his advisers resigned in protest and the Verkhovna Rada appears reluctant to confirm a replacement.
- Even pro-Kremlin military blogger Alexey Zhivov welcomed the move on Telegram, writing that Fedorov was "too smart and effective for an enemy," underscoring how the reformer won cross-frontline credibility.
Why it matters: Zelenskyy, already weakened by corruption scandals involving allies, now faces domestic protests over a sacking that Russian commentators publicly cheered — a toxic mix for a wartime leader eyeing a second term, with parliament signaling it may not confirm a replacement.
