Ukraine’s Defense Minister Resigns as Kyiv Faces Political Turmoil

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has announced his resignation, thanking members of the armed forces and everyone working toward what he described as Ukraine's victory while pledging to continue contributing through innovation and organizational development.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by president.gov.ua, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov

"It has been a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people as Minister of Defense,” Fedorov said. "Thank you to everyone defending Ukraine and working toward victory. I will continue pursuing the mission that brought me to the Ministry of Defense in the first place-to defeat the enemy through asymmetry, the speed of innovation, and the strength of organization.”

Leadership Changes and Reports of Internal Disagreements

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists that he had not yet decided whether Fedorov would remain in the position following the government reshuffle. However, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak later said Zelensky had decided to dismiss the minister, citing what he described as the unsuccessful reform of the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCCs) and disagreements with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

According to sources cited by Forbes Ukraine and Suspilne, the Ukrainian president is expected to offer the vacant defense minister's post to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force Colonel Pavlo Yelyzarov also announced his resignation following Fedorov's dismissal.

"Unfortunately, in the fifth year of the war, I have submitted my resignation from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I believe that removing M. Fedorov is a major blow to the country's defense capability,” Yelyzarov said.

Fedorov's adviser, Serhii Beskrestnov, known by the call sign "Flash,” also announced that he was stepping away from his duties.

"It was an honor to be part of the team. We had many plans and ideas for the future, but unfortunately… Mykhailo Fedorov, thank you for everything,” Beskrestnov said.

Protests, Criticism of Military Leadership, and Government Reshuffle

According to reports, demonstrations opposing the defense minister's dismissal took place in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, and several other Ukrainian cities. In Kyiv, protesters gathered near the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre, close to the Presidential Office, while demonstrators in Lviv assembled near the monument to Taras Shevchenko. Some participants carried cardboard signs reading, "Don't destroy what works.”

The protests have drawn comparisons with the demonstrations that took place during the summer of 2025, often referred to as the "Cardboard Revolution,” which became one of the first large-scale public protests against President Volodymyr Zelensky's policies.

During a briefing streamed on YouTube, Fedorov also called for the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov.

"To eliminate all the crimes, the schemes, and so that we no longer have the so-called "Skala,' Syrskyi and the Chief of the General Staff must be replaced,” he said.

Allegations concerning abuse within the Skala assault regiment became public on June 23 after reports described 26 non-combat deaths over the previous six months in the unit's training centers. According to the reports, many of the deceased soldiers had spent less than a month in the regiment, while official causes of death provided to relatives included pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses.

On July 13, authorities in Kyiv detained Stanislav Luchanov, the former chief of staff of the Skala assault regiment and former commander of the 155th Brigade. He was placed in pre-trial detention the following day.

In recent days, Zelensky reportedly blamed Fedorov for the unsuccessful reform of Ukraine's Territorial Recruitment Centers. Lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said the president believed he could no longer support both Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi and Fedorov simultaneously.

Zhelezniak described the minister's dismissal as unfair and argued that the presidential administration was capable of "crushing and smearing” anyone it viewed unfavorably.

Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources present at a closed meeting with the president, reported that Fedorov's dismissal stemmed from disagreements with Syrskyi over military priorities. According to the publication, Fedorov favored accelerating the digital transformation of Ukraine's defense system, while Syrskyi focused on financing the armed forces' immediate operational needs.

The Economist previously reported that Fedorov had sought Syrskyi's dismissal but failed to secure President Zelensky's support.

In his farewell remarks, Fedorov said he had not completed the transformation of the Defense Ministry as he had intended. He added that he should have been more decisive in dismissing officials who slowed reforms in order to move closer to NATO standards, while acknowledging that he had failed to establish what he described as "a culture of responsibility for decisions.”

Moscow Not Interested in Ukraine's Government Reshuffle

Commenting on the resignation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the personnel changes in Ukraine's government did not have fundamental significance for Moscow.

"These changes are not of fundamental importance to us. What matters is ensuring our own interests in resolving the situation,” Peskov said, adding that Russia continues to monitor developments related to the Ukrainian authorities.

On July 14, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada approved the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, with 258 lawmakers voting in favor.