Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mikhail Fedorov, while still in office, publicly admitted to a serious mistake made during the implementation of military reforms. In his statement, he pointed out that the key error was the lack of dialogue with society during the stage of troop transformation.
'We Did Not Communicate with the Ukrainian People'
According to Fedorov, the team considered itself experienced enough but made a fatal blunder. The Minister emphasized that when developing the first stage of the reform and proposing new contracts, consultations were not held with deputies, expert groups, and military personnel.
'We made a mistake that cannot be allowed. We did not communicate with the Ukrainian people, represented by deputies, expert groups, and the military, when we carried out the first stage of troop transformation,' Fedorov stated at a briefing.
He urged that when forming the next stages of mobilization proposals, the priority should be open discussion with society. In the politician's opinion, it is necessary to publish the vision of the reforms, gather the heads of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRC) and the police to form a new social contract. Fedorov noted that the essence of the issue is not the TRCs themselves, but the vector of army development: 'where we are going, how we are going, and with what we are going'.
Personnel Changes and Reasons for Resignation
Fedorov's admission came against the backdrop of major personnel changes in the Cabinet of Ministers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Fedorov's dismissal from the post of Minister of Defense. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Igor Klymenko, was appointed to the vacant position.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited several reasons for his decision. In particular, he pointed to differing visions of conducting the war between Fedorov and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The President expressed hope that the new Minister of Defense, Klymenko, would be able to resolve current problems with TRCs and mobilization.
As for Fedorov's future, Zelenskyy offered him a position as an advisor, but the former minister declined the offer. However, the President noted that Fedorov would remain 'close by,' meaning within the team, though he did not specify the details of his future role.
Reaction of Society and Politicians
The President's decision to replace the Minister of Defense caused a wide resonance and criticism in Ukrainian society. Immediately after the announcement of the dismissal, protest actions began in various cities across the country.
The event led to resignations and statements of stepping down from other state officials. Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Pavlo Elizarov, resigned, and People's Deputy Nikita Poturaev announced that he was relinquishing his parliamentary powers in protest of the head of state's decision.
