DM Fedorov says he proposed replacing Syrskyi, accuses army chief of blocking initiatives

At the same time, he said that after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to dismiss Syrskyi, he accepted the decision and did not issue any “either him or me” ultimatum. He also acknowledged that Syrskyi “saved the country” in 2022 through the defense of Kyiv and the Kharkiv counteroffensive.

“But we ran into a situation where all the initiatives we proposed started being blocked, and Syrskyi is not ready to speak openly to your face about problems” Fedorov said. “He is ready to go to private meetings, weave intrigues, think that someone ordered some media campaign [...]. This led to the fact that he effectively issued an ultimatum [...] Instead of figuring out how to defeat Russia asymmetrically — which is the commander-in-chief’s task — he figured out how to split the country.”

He also spoke about the “isolation and toxic treatment of those who are developing,” citing as examples Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi and Air Force deputy commander Pavlo Yelizarov, who has submitted his resignation letter.

At the same time, Fedorov said he believes Zelenskyy “has not yet chosen Syrskyi’s side,” though he is “acting according to some personal view of this world.” He suggested that it is “probably hard” for the president to analyze everything and make the right decision, but said Zelenskyy “hears the Ukrainian people” and that “the situation will 100% be corrected.”

Fedorov's dismissal

On July 14, parliament approved the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Under Ukrainian law, the entire Cabinet automatically resigned with her.

Zelenskyy had said he had not yet decided whether Fedorov would be reappointed as defense minister in the new government and that he would choose a candidate after meetings with Fedorov, prime minister candidate Sergii Koretskyi and military leadership.

On the evening of July 15, however, Fedorov confirmed that he was leaving the post.

According to sources cited by Suspilne and Ukrainska Pravda, Zelenskyy plans to propose current Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as the next defense minister.

Sources quoted by Ukrainska Pravda said Zelenskyy told lawmakers that Fedorov had a systemic conflict with Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, and with the army, and that the issue could not be resolved.

Fedorov's resignation sparked protests across the country. In particular, in Kyiv, hundreds of people gathered with cardboard posters on Franko Square, one of the closest places to the blocked-off government quarter.