- Category
- Life in Ukraine
Ukraine’s Leading Drone Volunteer Serhii Sternenko Leaves Defense Ministry Advisory Role After Fedorov Exit
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko]( "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
Serhii Sternenko, Ukraine’s leading drone volunteer, has announced his departure from the post of adviser to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
The decision follows the official resignation of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, amid a broader government reshuffle.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
Sternenko’s departure halts several ongoing military procurement initiatives, including the finalization of new tender requirements for FPV drones designed to enhance long-range strike capabilities.
The former adviser publicly shared the announcement on his official social media channel, highlighting both the progress made during his short tenure and the structural challenges within the state apparatus.
"Our team succeeded in unifying ground control stations for fiber-optic drones. We also managed to influence the development of individual brigades, raising them to significantly higher positions in the general ranking. However, a lot of things did not work out—including due to bureaucratic obstacles and artificial delays on the part of those who are hindered by army reform," Sternenko stated.
Despite leaving his official advisory role, Sternenko stated that his volunteer organization will continue supplying equipment to the front line, though its operational reach will be reduced compared to state-backed capabilities.
He highly praised Fedorov’s brief leadership, describing him as a crucial figure for military modernization and structural reform during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"From now on, I am not an adviser to the minister of defense, which, undoubtedly, reduces the possibilities of helping to qualitatively change the situation in the army with drones," Sternenko said. "We just had new tender requirements for the procurement of FPV drones, which would allow the army to receive the best means and develop infrastructure for deeper strikes. I hope they will eventually be approved."
Sternenko also addressed the internal friction that hampered broader reform efforts within the defense establishment. "It did not work out. A lot of things. Including due to bureaucratic obstacles and artificial delay on the part of those who are hindered by army reform," he stated, adding, "It did not work out to manage to help my country more in the conditions of a full-scale war."
Reflecting on his time working under Fedorov, Sternenko emphasized that the experience remained valuable. "But still, this is an important experience. Experience in the team to which I had the honor to belong. Mykhailo Fedorov is the best minister of defense in all our history. Thank you for the example of leadership and service," he wrote.
Expressing concern over the current political trajectory, Sternenko concluded with a statement on the future of defense reforms and community engagement.
"It is a pity that today our state has become much further from victory. It is a pity that real reforms were not even allowed to start, although it still managed to change a lot. Not a pity for you, for the people who see and understand everything. And support. This is definitely not the end. Boundless respect to Mykhailo. Gratitude to everyone who is not silent," Sternenko stated.
Fedorov was highly regarded for driving digitalization within the Ukrainian Armed Forces and expanding drone deployment, as well as successfully disabling Starlink terminals used by Russian forces. Because these actions created major operational challenges for the Russian military, analysts suggest that his resignation is highly likely to be a favorable development for Russia.
The government reshuffle marks the end of the tenure of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose administration worked in lockstep with the Cabinet to fundamentally modernize Ukraine's military.
During his tenure, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov introduced several major reforms to Ukraine's military. His administration successfully blocked Russian access to Starlink terminals and significantly improved drone interception rates. Additionally, Fedorov's team launched the "Logistics Lockdown" program to target Russian supply lines.
Discuss this article:
