“I’m Certain Zelenskyy Hears Ukrainians”: Fedorov Reflects on Defense Ministry Shake-Up and Protests

On July 15, Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced his departure from the post in a farewell statement published on his official Telegram channel, expressing gratitude for his time leading the ministry.

The next day, commenting on his dismissal, Fedorov voiced confidence in the Ukrainian president rather than criticism. "I am certain the president hears the Ukrainian people, knows what to do, and the situation will be 100% corrected," he stated.

His exit removes the official who cut Russian forces off from Starlink and rebuilt Ukraine's wartime procurement, at a moment when several of the reforms he launched are still being rolled out.

In his send-off post, Fedorov turned to what his team accomplished. "It was a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people as Minister of Defense," he wrote, listing 22 achievements delivered during his tenure.

At the top of the list, Fedorov placed the disconnection of Russian troops from Starlink, a step that, he wrote, "cardinally reduced" Russia's ability to wage effective drone warfare. In the same post, he credited the shutdown with reshaping the technological balance along the front line.

The post also highlighted the "Logistic Lockdown" program, launched with dedicated funding, which Fedorov wrote allowed Ukraine to cut enemy logistics and begin isolating Crimea. He added that the jointly planned operation "Ashan" halted a Russian mechanized offensive for half a year.

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Among the other results Fedorov listed:

• raising drone interception rates from 83% to 91% and cruise missile interception from 47% to 87% through After Action Reviews of every massed attack;

• contracting Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the first time and applying for PAC-3 missiles through a European loan;

• signing a contract for Gripen fighter jets to counter Russian aircraft carrying guided bombs;

• launching the first tenders for long-range artillery and hundreds of thousands of drones, which he wrote saves the state budget billions of dollars;

• securing $40 billion in announced partner support for this year across three Ramstein-format meetings;

• testing a domestically developed ballistic missile, with accuracy proven and its price cut by 30%, on the day the government was dismissed.

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Fedorov also pointed to a transformation of military service he described as unpopular but essential, including fixed-term contracts, some of the world's highest pay for infantry and assault troops, and the opening of transparent foreign recruitment.

Zelenskyy indicated that he did not oppose the protests and viewed them as a legitimate expression of democracy.

“I understand, hear, and respond to what society is telling us. We are fighting for freedom and democracy. People do what they want. They wanted to come out—and rightly so,” the president declared.

He also confirmed that Fedorov would remain on his team, with his exact role to be announced later.

Addressing the conflict between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, he acknowledged his own responsibility for the lack of unity.

“A president during wartime should not have to choose in such a situation. I would very much like unity. The sides did not find it, and this is not only their problem, but mine as well. I do not absolve myself of responsibility,” he stated.

At the same time, on July 16, thousands of people gathered in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Lviv, and Odesa, to protest President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov without publicly explaining the move.

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