During a conversation with journalists, Mykhailo Fedorov spoke about the conflict with the General Staff, the position he was offered, and the accusations of ordering an investigation into "Skelya".
On the conflict with the General Staff and the Commander-in-Chief Syrsky
Fedorov said that Ukraine needs to change its military leadership, including the commander-in-chief and chief of the General Staff, if it wants to “defeat the enemy asymmetrically, with minimal losses”.
According to him, while working at the Ministry of Defense, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky gave Fedorov an ultimatum and blocked the Ministry of Defense’s initiatives.
"And Syrsky, considering all the problems we talked about today, is not ready to talk openly about the problems in person. He is ready to go to meetings in person, weave intrigues, think that someone ordered some kind of campaign in the media," he said.
Fedorov did not specify what was being discussed, but also said that he was accused of ordering an investigation into "Skelya".
"I didnʼt create ʼSkelyaʼ or any other unit and allow whatʼs happening there. But, they say, I launched a media campaign, did this, someone else did something. This is a culture that simply needs to be eradicated. Otherwise, we wonʼt be able to defeat the enemy who has the same thing happening in the system," he added.
Fedorov also added that the TRCs are subordinate to the General Staff, the Ground Forces, and the Commander-in-Chief. According to Fedorov, the approach to mobilization needs to be changed.
About the resignation of Elizarov
He said that the commander of the Joint Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi already has three reprimands, and after this speech, Fedorov suggested, he may receive a fourth.
"That is, if a person succeeds in something: ʼLazarʼ [Elizarovʼs call sign] in the Air Force. Okay, we wonʼt let you sign some commander for two months, we wonʼt give you a distribution. Letʼs conduct training for you, so that you deal with bureaucracy, not work, and so on. That is, this is a constant problem that exists," he added.
What position was offered to Fedorov?
Volodymyr Zelensky offered him to become an advisor to the president after his dismissal from the post of Minister of Defense — Fedorov refused.
Actions against his dismissal from the post of head of the Ministry of Defense
He stated that the people did not come out for him, but for themselves: "Why the hopes that appeared — there was an interception of the initiative on the battlefield and in the sky, why is this trajectory now breaking and we are turning away from it. There is such a risk. The people came out for this."
- Last night, Mykhailo Fedorov reported that he was resigning from his position as head of the Ministry of Defense. Prior to this, a number of media outlets and MPs wrote that President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to replace him.
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