Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed a week ago, said he refuses all offered positions and will only return as defense minister, arguing only that post, the presidency, and the commander-in-chief can truly shape the war, according to reports by Current Time, Meduza, and The Insider.
Fedorov said he is grateful to President Volodymyr Zelensky for the proposals but insisted that only three roles — president, defense minister, and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — “really determine the course of the war.” Other positions, he claimed, lack the authority to fight corruption in procurement, complete the transformation of the army, plan asymmetric operations against Russia, and carry out other tasks his team began at the ministry.
The day before, Zelensky said he had offered Fedorov the post of deputy prime minister for military innovation. According to the president, the role would have involved coordinating innovations with the leadership of the Defense Ministry, the commander-in-chief, and the president. Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources, reported that Fedorov had turned down various offers, explaining that implementing his strategy to stop Russia without the real powers of the Defense Ministry was impossible.
According to Meduza, a conflict between Fedorov and then-commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi led to the minister’s dismissal. After Fedorov’s removal, protests erupted in Ukraine, with participants demanding his reinstatement and Syrskyi’s dismissal. Zelensky soon dismissed Syrskyi as well.
Fedorov said his team arrived at the Defense Ministry in January 2026 with the AIR–LAND–ECONOMY plan. The former minister claimed the plan allowed Ukraine “for the first time in recent years to seize the initiative” and create “a window of opportunity to force Russia to make peace by force.”