{"id":2630782,"date":"2026-07-16T16:48:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T20:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-faces-backlash-after-firing-popular-defense-minister\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T16:53:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T20:53:41","slug":"zelensky-faces-backlash-after-firing-popular-defense-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-faces-backlash-after-firing-popular-defense-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelensky faces backlash after firing popular defense minister"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fzelensky-faces-backlash-after-firing-popular-defense-minister%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630782&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing rare public protests following the unexpected dismissal of his popular defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, amid a broader government reshuffle that also removed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.Fedorov, recognized for his energetic reform efforts and advocacy for drone warfare innovation, had a short tenure of about six months. His firing has sparked controversy, with explanations varying from accusations of corruption to conflicts with military leadership.<\/p>\n<p>The core conflict appears to stem from a clash of military philosophies: Fedorov&#8217;s technology-first approach advocating for UAV-based warfare contrasts with Army commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky\u2019s customary, manpower-focused strategy.Fedorov publicly criticized Syrsky, calling for his removal and suggesting the need for new military leadership to implement reforms. Their personal and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >professional differences reflect broader tensions<\/a> within ukraine\u2019s military establishment.<\/p>\n<p>while Fedorov had championed a prominent drone campaign against Russia\u2019s infrastructure, his critics argue that his reforms may have been primarily PR-driven and lacked significant military expertise. His push for modernization faced skepticism from traditional generals and concerns over strategic efficacy, especially as recent drone attacks against Moscow have declined.<\/p>\n<p>The firing raises questions about Ukraine\u2019s future battlefield capabilities, as recent successes-like targeted drone strikes and localized offensives-might be impacted by the leadership shake-up. Zelensky\u2019s apparent inclination toward Syrsky\u2019s more conventional approach indicates a preference for stability and control within Ukraine\u2019s military hierarchy. Protests over Fedorov\u2019s dismissal have been modest, with many fearing that internal infighting and disagreements over military reforms could hinder Ukraine\u2019s ongoing efforts against Russian aggression.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"82\">Ukrainian<\/a> President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/volodymyr-zelensky\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"891\">Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> is facing rare public protests and pressure after firing his popular technocratic defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fedorov\u2019s firing came as part of a surprise government reshuffle, which removed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko after less than a year in office. Fedorov had held his position for an even shorter period of time, roughly six months, but he made a name for himself as an energetic reformer and advocate for an entrepreneurial focus on drone production and warfare.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4651337\/houthis-involved-broader-conflict-us-escalates-iran-war\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Houthis encouraged to shut down Red Sea shipping if US escalates Iran war<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4650995\/tehran-billboard-shows-dead-trump-references-minab-elementary-school\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Tehran billboard shows a dead Trump and references to destroyed Minab elementary school<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4649753\/france-final-approval-assisted-dying-bill\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>France gives final approval to assisted-dying bill<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zelensky neglected to explain why he fired Fedorov but stressed that he would stay on his team. Fedorov doesn\u2019t seem so sure, however, and said on Thursday that he rejected an offer to stay in the government in an advisory role.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Worsening the situation for Zelensky, Fedorov decided not to go down without a fight. The now-former defense minister held a press conference in his favored style of a Steve Jobs-style presentation, presenting his vision of modern warfare, drone technology, and trashing army leadership and bureaucracy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The president\u2019s failure to provide a clear reason for Fedorov\u2019s firing fed the growing speculation, especially as Fedorov was widely viewed as successful in the position, particularly by the Western press. Explanations as to why he was fired have varied widely from the defense minister allegedly being too corrupt, not corrupt enough, too combative with army leadership, too showy, too popular, and too in the clouds on military matters.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-clashing-philosophies\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clashing philosophies<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main current that appears to be behind the firing is his not-so-subtle conflict with Armed Forces of Ukraine Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrsky. Syrsky is known as a more traditional commander, and his reforms have focused on forming new infantry assault groups and procuring traditional weapons. Fedorov has pushed for the opposite, aiming to replace much of the military with drones to make up for casualties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, Syrsky takes a manpower-first approach to warfare, while Fedorov takes a technology-first approach to warfare. With limited resources to contend with, the differing philosophies inevitably clashed and created a situation where Zelensky had to choose between the two.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fedorov and Syrsky\u2019s leadership styles also clashed. Syrsky, who began his career in the Soviet military and graduated from the Moscow Higher Military Command School, subscribed to the Soviet centralized command and control system, favoring a top-down approach to command. Fedorov, just 35 years old, has spent his career idolizing the startup, entrepreneurial culture of Silicon Valley, and sought to recreate it in Ukraine. His data-centric approach and favoring of empowering lower commanders has come much to the annoyance of the traditional military establishment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the Syrsky-Fedorov rivalry was fairly well known, the two were publicly silent on the matter until Thursday, when the departing Fedorov let loose in his speech\/presentation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI did not set the condition \u2018either me or Syrsky.\u2019 The president decided not to dismiss him. I accepted that and was ready to work with this commander in chief. But all our initiatives began to be blocked,\u201d Fedorov said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSyrsky is not ready to speak openly about the problems. Instead of thinking about how to defeat Russia, he came up with how to split the country,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fedorov then went a step further by directly calling for Syrsky to be fired, an objective of his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/europe\/2026\/07\/13\/ukraines-reforming-defence-minister-is-under-fire\">long-rumored<\/a> but never openly said, along with much of the top military staff.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe need fundamental personnel decisions. A new commander in chief, a new chief of the General Staff, so that our young commanders are no longer held back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-will-this-affect-ukraine-s-ability-to-fight\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How will this affect Ukraine\u2019s ability to fight?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The biggest question circulating around Fedorov\u2019s firing is how it will change Ukraine\u2019s battlefield fortunes. Though the major dynamics on the battlefield haven\u2019t changed, with Russia still largely advancing in the Donbas at a slow pace while the two powers exchange drone and missile strikes against key infrastructure, the past six months have seen two key developments that have led to more positive headlines for Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The biggest and most talked about change was Ukraine\u2019s expanded drone campaign against Russian energy infrastructure and logistics, boosted by new technologies and AI integration. The highly visible drone strikes on Russia\u2019s energy infrastructure have won Fedorov plaudits from Western media, though the expanded campaign began in August.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other major change has been localized counteroffensives, which have found limited success in areas outside the Donbas, such as Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The firing of Fedorov has led to panic in many Western pro-Ukraine circles, with observers fearing Zelensky is squandering Ukraine\u2019s recent bout of good fortune through firing the mastermind of Ukraine\u2019s drone advancements. The full picture may not be as simple, however.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Peter Korotaev, an independent Ukrainian journalist who has written extensively about the war in his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsinukraine.substack.com\/p\/fedorov-down-pigs-in-power\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/eventsinukraine.substack.com\/p\/fedorov-down-pigs-in-power\">Events in Ukraine<\/a> Substack, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that a full understanding of Fedorov\u2019s impact is difficult to make out due to his skill in public relations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s hard, because Fedorov is such a PR guy that there must be a lot of exaggerations there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Korotaev leans on the side of doubting any decisive impact from Fedorov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe wasn\u2019t really in charge that long anyway; the spike in [drone] production probably would have happened anyway,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regarding Fedorov\u2019s strength in PR, Korotaev doubted some of the former defense minister\u2019s more grandiose claims, including that touted as his greatest achievement \u2014 allegedly personally convincing Elon Musk to shut off the use of Starlink for the Russians.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn fact, Fedorov\u2019s glorious reign is, as his critics often say, largely in the form of PowerPoints. The fact that he \u2018convinced\u2019 Elon Musk to turn off Starlink for the Russians in February was brought up by Fedorov as his greatest achievement, but honestly, it doesn\u2019t sound like a huge task to convince the Americans to cut off military technology to their enemy,\u201d he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsinukraine.substack.com\/p\/fedorov-down-pigs-in-power\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fedorov\u2019s PR focus won him the scorn of many of Ukraine\u2019s top generals. Some claim his biggest reforms amount to a \u201cPR repackaging\u201d of reforms that were already underway, the <em>Economist<\/em> reported. One senior general told the outlet that the defense minister amounts to a soccer \u201cgoalhanger,\u201d taking credit for ideas and work developed collectively by others, rather than himself. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another key source of tension is the young entrepreneur\u2019s complete lack of military experience, something many generals believe shows. His reforms \u201cgamifying\u201d drone warfare, even developing a points system for drone kills, end up prioritizing more cinematic \u201ckills\u201d while incentivizing the neglect of the less glamorous but just as important military work, such as monitoring key logistics routes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo reform something you have to understand how it works,\u201d one Ukrainian general told the outlet. \u201cWould you really sit in an aeroplane if you saw that the pilot was a shopkeeper?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Korotaev also pointed out that Ukraine\u2019s long-range drone campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure has seen a downturn in recent weeks \u2014 the last three mass drone attacks against Moscow have all failed. A July 13 attack saw 350 Ukrainian drones sent against Moscow, with all of them shot down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even Ukraine\u2019s recent drone boost isn\u2019t free from criticism. Fire Point, the company that designed and produces the FP-1 drone used in its long-range strike campaigns, has come under heavy scrutiny.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-sympathy-for-syrsky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sympathy for Syrsky<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though the Western and Ukrainian public largely side with Fedorov in the dispute with Syrsky, the fight can\u2019t fairly be characterized by Western technology and innovation vs. old Soviet-style bureaucracy and backwardness. Syrsky was a leading figure behind many of Ukraine\u2019s biggest wartime successes, including the defense of Kyiv in 2022 and the Kharkiv counteroffensive of September 2022. Ukraine\u2019s relative successes on parts of the front line this year, such as successful localized counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, can be credited in part to Syrsky\u2019s focus on cultivating manpower and forming assault groups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many within the military outside the high command also spoke against Fedorov, voicing skepticism about the efficacy of his reforms. Roman Ponomarenko, an analyst in the prestigious 1st Azov Corps, called the reforms a \u201csham.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s not intended to truly reform the military, but to commercialize warfare, in a way that will provoke a negative reaction from the vast majority of military personnel. It truly takes talent to achieve that,\u201d he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/RomPonomarenko\/1364\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A major factor in Syrsky\u2019s favor was how Fedorov\u2019s unpopularity within the military had the potential to cause more problems than simple grumbling. Zelensky has gone to significant lengths to keep the military politically in line, especially among the right-wing Azov Corps. Fedorov\u2019s approach, promoting autonomy among military units, could disrupt this balance, while Syrsky has kept them under control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zelensky himself seemed to side with Syrsky in the feud. Several of those present at his meeting with several members of his Servant of the People party told <em>Ukrainska Pravda<\/em>, a leading liberal nationalist outlet in Ukraine, that the president said he could no longer tolerate the infighting between Fedorov and Syrsky.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey live in two different worlds. [Fedorov] wants to digitize everything, build a system around technology. The military just wants to be heard. They ask to purchase one type of weapon, but he refuses and finances other areas. They simply stopped hearing each other,\u201d an MP quoted Zelensky as saying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4627542\/ukraine-drone-campaign-russia-energy-infrastructure-damage\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4627542\">UKRAINE\u2019S DRONE CAMPAIGN AGAINST RUSSIA\u2019S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE TAKES A TOLL, BUT FALLS SHORT OF A GAME CHANGER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt got to the point of absurdity. Syrsky would come and say: \u2018Fedorov doesn\u2019t give anything for specific operations.\u2019 Then Fedorov would come and answer: \u2018We gave everything, we\u2019re just using it incorrectly, not in the right way and not where it\u2019s needed.\u2019 And so on in a circle,\u201d another MP recalled the president as saying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Protests have taken place in major cities, but turnout hasn\u2019t been high. The backlash has been similar to that of last year with Mindichgate, which resulted in the firing of one of Zelensky\u2019s top allies, Andriy Yermak.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Zelensky faces protests after firing popular defense minister<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2630783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26197284735441.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4265,40994,67314,8630],"class_list":["post-2630782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-backlash","tag-defense-minister","tag-ukrainian-politics","tag-zelensky"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26197284735441.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630782"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630786,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630782\/revisions\/2630786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}