Zelenskyy dismisses defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov on 15 July, according to Euronews, in a move that Kyiv-watchers are reading as part of a broader reshuffle rather than a battlefield-driven decision. Fedorov, described by the outlet as a popular minister, wrote on Telegram that it had been an honour to serve.

The change lands as Ukraine tries to keep a war-time state running like a normal government: procurement, mobilisation, weapons deliveries and domestic politics all compete for the same attention and the same pool of trusted managers. When a defence minister is swapped out mid-war, the immediate question is rarely about policy statements and almost always about control of levers—who signs, who appoints, who can say no. A minister who is publicly popular can be an asset abroad and at home, but popularity also creates an independent centre of gravity inside a presidential system that concentrates decision-making in the executive.

Swedish business daily Dagens industri, citing the news agency TT, reports that the resignation is part of a wider government reorganisation. Zelenskyy has also signalled changes at the top of the cabinet, with the outgoing prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko leaving her post and Zelenskyy pointing to Naftogaz chief Serhiy Koretskyi as best prepared to take over, according to the same report. In January, Zelenskyy carried out a reshuffle after corruption allegations—an episode that illustrated how quickly wartime emergency spending turns routine governance into a reputational liability.

Personnel shifts also affect partners. Foreign governments and arms suppliers build relationships with specific offices and individuals; replacing a minister resets those channels and can slow practical work even when strategy stays the same. At the same time, wartime administrations are judged not only on fighting capacity but on whether they can still rotate officials, investigate misconduct and keep ministries from becoming permanent fiefdoms.

Euronews reported the dismissal on the same day it happened. The only concrete public message from the outgoing minister was a brief Telegram farewell.