Split in the Ukrainian defense leadership

An unusually harsh statement by outgoing Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov yesterday sparked a political crisis of sorts and exposed a rift at the very top of Ukraine's war effort, pitting a new generation that sees technology as a path to Russia's defeat against the chief of the armed forces.

Thirty-five-year-old Fedorov, who was dismissed this week as part of a government reshuffle just six months after taking office, has made scathing accusations against General Oleksandr Syrsky, claiming he fomented intrigues, blocked his initiatives and sabotaged his work.

This is the first time these tensions have been made public, Reuters points out.

Fedorov said he agreed to try to work with Syrsky after unsuccessfully asking President Volodymyr Zelensky to remove him, but that the top Ukrainian general then deliberately undermined him behind the scenes. Speaking to reporters in Kiev, Fedorov said he had rejected Zelensky's offer to be his adviser.

"We have come to a situation where all the initiatives we proposed have been blocked, and Sirsky, considering all the problems we discussed today, is not ready to look me in the eye and talk openly about the problems," Fedorov said.

He accused Syrsky of leading a dysfunctional culture of lies, poorly organized units, and a lack of personal accountability in the military, which represents extremely harsh rhetoric directed against the man who has led the Ukrainian armed forces since February 2024.

"Instead of working on how to asymmetrically defeat Russia... he worked on how to divide the country," he said at a press conference, held just as lawmakers were meeting to discuss the composition of the new government.

After the attack, Syrsky issued a brief statement thanking Fedorov for his work as defense minister and saying that Ukraine must focus on the war. He did not comment on the substance of Fedorov's accusations.

Technology-oriented leader

The harsh statements indicate both growing internal pressure within the Ukrainian defense forces, more than four years after the start of the Russian invasion, and differing visions of how to wage war in the era of drones.

Years of grueling fighting have fueled a revolution in warfare, particularly in the use of drones for everything from attacking troops on the battlefield to delivering supplies and evacuating the wounded.

Fedorov, a symbolic figure for Ukrainians who see the use of technology as key to winning the war, has overseen an increase in the production of medium-range drones and drones for striking deep into enemy territory, as well as an improvement in defense procurement.

His term coincided with a visible improvement in Ukraine's position on the front line, after years of retreat, as well as a spectacular campaign of drone attacks that hit oil infrastructure and military targets deep inside Russia.

The hundreds of Ukrainians who came out to support Fedorov yesterday in a spontaneous and rare war protest in Kiev and other cities were mostly men and women under 30.

In Kiev, more than 1.000 protesters gathered outside Zelensky's office, chanting "Shame!" and holding banners with messages like "Why?" and "Russians are celebrating."

The scene was reminiscent of the massive protests of July last year, when public outcry forced Zelensky to withdraw an unpopular measure that stripped anti-corruption agencies of their independence.

“We are for advancement, not regression,” said a protester who identified himself as Ali and described Fedorov as an efficient and modern manager.

Other protesters demanded that Zelensky dismiss Syrsky instead.

In his address, Fedorov acknowledged Syria's earlier military successes, but said that "war has completely changed" and that drones are triggering an accelerated development cycle.

Sirski, who is 60 years old, is a commander trained in the Soviet system, receiving his military education in Moscow in the 1980s.

The Supreme Commander, who uses the call sign “Snow Leopard,” took command of Ukraine’s ground forces in 2019. He led the defense of Kyiv in 2022 and a lightning counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region later that year.

He took over as head of the armed forces in February 2024, after Zelensky dismissed his predecessor, Valery Zaluzhny.

“Great evil”

Zelensky confirmed that there is a conflict between the two officials, in one of his first public comments on the matter, adding that he is currently not in a position to say how it will be resolved.

In addition to the role of technology, especially drones, which Fedorov strongly promoted, one of the key problems of the Ukrainian army is the lack of infantry, which neither the army nor the Ministry of Defense has been able to solve.

Zelenskyy yesterday appointed acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Yevhen Khmara, as acting defense minister and asked parliament to confirm him.

Zelensky stated in a post on Telegram that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has distinguished itself in carrying out long-range attacks on Russia and that this is an advantage for performing the duties of Minister of Defense.

"I have entrusted Yevheniy Khmara with the performance of his duties as minister, continuing the reform of the defense sector, and ensuring that Ukraine achieves all the results we have talked about," Zelensky wrote, adding that he would ask parliament to support his election.

Zelensky had previously mentioned Igor Klimenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs, as a possible successor to Fedorov, whom he said could be well-positioned to deal with the problem of mobilization officers taking civilian men on buses to serve in the armed forces.

This phenomenon, popularly known as "busization", is highly unpopular and fueled social tensions during the war, while the armed forces attempted to ensure a constant influx of new soldiers to fight against a larger army.

Fedorov, for his part, appears to have left open the possibility of being reinstated as defense minister, although it is unclear how that could happen.

The conflict also exposed divisions within his parliamentary majority, which had largely rallied around the wartime leadership of Volodymyr Zelensky and confirmed his candidates for cabinet members without much resistance.

Defense industry officials, senior Ukrainian officials, lawmakers from Zelensky's party and others familiar with the case have also alleged - some publicly - that Fedorov posed an obstacle to interest groups seeking to profit from Ukraine's huge wartime defense budget.

One MP, Mikita Poturayev, resigned in protest, the Financial Times reported.

Some military officials have also publicly supported Fedorov, among them Mikhail Drapati, a popular commander who served as chief of the ground forces from 2024 to 2025, before being demoted to a lower position by Sirsky.

Pavlo Yelzhizarov, the deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, whom Fedorov appointed to combat Russian drone attacks, said he was resigning over Fedorov's dismissal. He called the decision a "great evil" for Ukraine's defense.

Vitaliy Sich, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian media outlet NV, wrote that “in difficult moments, Zelensky behaves like a hero.” “But we should not forget that difficult moments are often caused by his idiotic decisions,” he added.