Overview
- President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov in mid‑July, a move that protesters say undercuts reform efforts in defence procurement and technology.
- Thousands of Ukrainians have demonstrated in central Kyiv for more than two weeks calling for Fedorov’s reinstatement, and organizers say they will continue until the president reverses course.
- Zelensky replaced Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi with Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi after the protests, but has offered Fedorov a technology role that Fedorov rejected because he says he will serve only as defence minister.
- Yevhenii Khmara is serving as acting defence minister but has not been permanently nominated, and parliament’s summer recess delays any formal appointment until mid‑August.
- Analysts and Western officials warn that rapid turnover at the defence ministry risks slowing procurement channels — including efforts to secure Patriot interceptors and other air‑defence supplies — and could weaken personal ties Fedorov built with allies and private tech partners.