On Saturday evening, July 18, 2026, former Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mikhail Fedorov published an official statement in his Telegram channel. The address appeared against the backdrop of ongoing mass rallies in Kyiv, Lviv, and Dnipro, which began following his resignation. In the text, the former head of the ministry confirmed communication with government authorities and called on participants in the socio-political process to adhere to institutional ethics.
Context of personnel changes
Mikhail Fedorov headed the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine from January 14 to July 16, 2026. His departure from the post was approved against the backdrop of disagreements with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The main subject of the discussions was the concept of material and technical support and the pace of innovation implementation in the defense sector. This decision provoked a wide resonance both in the expert community and among volunteers.
In his statement, the former minister expressed gratitude to veterans and civil society for their support of technological initiatives. In particular, he mentioned the "Diia" and "Mriya" projects implemented during his tenure at the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Ministry of Defense. Fedorov noted a high level of personal responsibility towards the professional community in connection with the public reaction to personnel reshuffles.
Position of the authorities and status of negotiations
The phrase "dialogue exists" in Fedorov's address verifies the conduct of internal consultations between his team and representatives of the President's Office. The goal of these negotiations is to stabilize the resulting management crisis. The publication coincided in time with the start of peaceful gatherings of civil activists in the capital's government quarter, serving the function of calming the information field.
Parallel to this, the official position of the executive branch was voiced by advisor to the head of the President's Office, Serhiy Leshchenko. On air during the national telethon, he confirmed that the demands of the participants in the street actions have been recorded by the political leadership. At the same time, Leshchenko emphasized that any restructuring of the military management structure requires the passage of strict legal and administrative procedures provided for by legislation under martial law conditions.
Interim leadership and legal framework
As the interim head of the defense department, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed the acting Minister Yevhen Khmara. At the same time, the country's top leadership is holding closed working meetings with combat commanders and representatives of the defense technology sector. These consultations are aimed at developing a coordinated strategy for supplying the front with unmanned systems and electronic warfare means.
According to the Law of Ukraine "On National Security", the appointment and dismissal of the highest military leadership are carried out exclusively within the constitutional powers of the President and the Verkhovna Rada. Any personnel rotations are carried out with due regard for the balance between civilian control and the operational stability of the Armed Forces. The expert community characterizes the current stage as a search for a compromise configuration of the leadership team.
