Immediately following the massive reshuffle of the government in Kyiv, a question arose: why was Mykhailo Fedorov, whose name was associated with digitalization and military innovations, not returned to the post of Minister of Defense? The answer was given personally by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He explained his decision by stating that Fedorov's team remains in place and will continue to implement the projects they started.
Offer of an alternative and refusal
According to information obtained by RBC-Ukraine from informed sources, the President did not simply reject Fedorov's candidacy but was ready to offer him other options. In particular, Zelenskyy considered the possibility of appointing the former minister to the position of Vice Prime Minister. The logic of the head of state was that occupying a specific ministerial portfolio is not necessary to ensure the "visionary" nature of the process.
However, Mykhailo Fedorov's entourage viewed this offer skeptically. In a comment to sources, representatives of the former minister emphasized that such a scheme is ineffective. According to them, the status of Vice Prime Minister does not provide a real lever of influence. "When you are a minister, you sign documents, you form a team for specific tasks. But when you are not inside the team, you stop being part of this system," the publication's interlocutor stated.
Who took the post and why
During the global reload of the Cabinet of Ministers, the post of head of the defense department was taken by Yevhen Yarmak, the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine. Sources indicate that the question of returning Fedorov to the Ministry of Defense is currently irrelevant, as the President sees Yarmak in this position.
One of the key arguments in favor of Fedorov's dismissal, voiced by the authorities, was the lack of proper coordination of decisions with the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, difficulties in interaction with Oleksandr Syrskyi, who also recently left the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, were noted.
Legacy and public reaction
The departure of Mykhailo Fedorov from the government caused a wide resonance in society. His resignation provoked public protests, in which both civil activists and representatives of military circles participated. People appealed to the specific achievements of the former minister, which became possible thanks to his leadership.
Among the main "victories" of Fedorov, experts and the public highlight:
- Organization of successful and regular diversionary strikes (deep strikes) on the territory of Russia;
- Introduction of innovations on the battlefield, including the large-scale involvement of robotic systems;
- Creation of effective logistics for the supply of various unmanned aerial vehicles.
Mykhailo Fedorov himself had previously assessed his work as Minister of Defense, detailing what was implemented and what remained beyond the scope of his powers.
