Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed from his post after failing to complete three priority tasks set by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a fact sheet detailing the conflict between Fedorov, Zelenskyy, and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The dismissal, which took place in mid-2026, marks a significant shakeup in Ukraine's defense leadership amid the ongoing war with Russia.
President Zelenskyy appointed Fedorov as defense minister on January 14, 2026, and publicly outlined three main objectives on January 30: closing the sky and strengthening air defense, solving the problem of forced mobilization and so-called "busification" (a term referring to the controversial practice of forcibly conscripting men from the streets), and launching a fully functional contract-based army model. While drone programs and technological substitution of artillery were mentioned separately, they were not among the three core tasks.
An assessment of Fedorov's performance shows that none of the three priority tasks were fully completed. The air defense system was not completely closed to Russian attacks, although the ministry reported increased effectiveness in intercepting drones and cruise missiles. The structural reform of the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCC), which handle mobilization, remained in the working stage at the time of his dismissal. The new contract army system was only launched as a pilot project on June 15-16, 2026, and is not scheduled for full implementation until 2028.
Instead of focusing on these core tasks, Fedorov concentrated heavily on technological projects and defense procurement. His final report listed 22 achievements, most of which related to drones and robotic complexes, the Brave1 Market system, equipment procurement, grants to manufacturers, long-range strikes, missile programs, defense exports, and artificial intelligence. Only one of the 22 points addressed the transformation of service conditions and contracts. The TCC reform and the "busification" problem were not directly mentioned in the list of achievements.
The scale of the financial and technological infrastructure built under Fedorov is substantial. According to official Ministry of Defense data, in less than a year, more than 400 units ordered equipment worth over 33 billion hryvnias through the Brave1 Market system. Over 500,000 drones were ordered, and the catalog contained more than 800 products. The state provides payment and delivery through the DOT-Chain Defense system. Data from DELTA, Mission Control, and other systems are used to form centralized procurement needs.
Fedorov's team also claimed credit for several major military operations in their final report, including the "logistical lockdown" of the Russian army, the beginning of the isolation of Crimea, increased interception rates of aerial targets, the "Ashan" operation that allegedly stopped a mechanized offensive for six months, and the return of initiative to Ukraine on the battlefield. However, these results are the product of work by the General Staff, military command, Unmanned Systems Forces, SBU, GUR, Navy, specific units, and manufacturers, not just one minister.
The conflict between Fedorov and military leadership came to a head when Fedorov publicly confirmed on July 16 that he had proposed replacing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi to President Zelenskyy. The president did not agree. According to Fedorov, after this, most ministry initiatives faced resistance, and the conflict ended with an ultimatum from the commander-in-chief. Sources from Ukrainska Pravda indicated that the constant conflict between the Ministry of Defense and military command was the main reason for the decision not to keep Fedorov in the new government.
Fedorov's final report, published on July 15 at 6:17 PM, garnered millions of views and was followed by a separate text about what had not been accomplished, ending with the phrase "To be continued." The rapid publication of the report, a video, and subsequent media mobilization suggested a coordinated campaign to frame the narrative around his dismissal. The situation raises questions about where legitimate ministerial reporting on created infrastructure ends and personal appropriation of military operational results begins.