Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaces popular defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov with Yevhenii Khmara as acting minister following internal friction.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the popular defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov after only six months in office, appointing Yevhenii Khmara as the acting replacement. The move follows a period of significant internal friction between Fedorov and the commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. While Fedorov was widely praised by civil society and foreign partners for his tech-focused reforms and success in reducing corruption, the administration noted that the two leaders struggled to work together. Fedorov, a 35-year-old reformer, was credited with modernizing the ministry, securing drone procurement, and successfully persuading Elon Musk to disable Starlink for Russian forces. However, his dismissal sparked immediate protests from rioters in Kyiv and other cities, with many citizens expressing surprise at the decision. Fedorov noted that while he was ready to work with Syrskyi, the general's traditional tactics often blocked his innovative initiatives. The administration announced that Khmara, currently the head of the Security Service, will fill the role until he can formally resign from the military to take on the civilian position.