Fedorov Accuses Syrsky of ‘Thinking How to Split the Country, Not Defeat Russia’

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov accused Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky of blocking military reforms and refusing to openly address problems within the military during an emergency press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, July 16.

Fedorov, who is expected to be dismissed as defense minister in a government reshuffle pending parliamentary approval, said he never demanded that President Volodymyr Zelensky choose between him and Syrsky. 

However, he claimed cooperation with the AFU’s commander-in-chief became impossible after key initiatives were repeatedly blocked.

“I did not set the condition ‘either me or Syrsky.’ The president decided not to dismiss him. I accepted that and was ready to work with this commander-in-chief. But all our initiatives began to be blocked,” Fedorov said.

According to Fedorov, Syrsky was unwilling to publicly acknowledge problems inside the military and instead sought to deepen divisions.

“Syrsky is not ready to speak openly about the problems. Instead of thinking about how to defeat Russia, he came up with how to split the country,” he said.

Fedorov argued that Ukraine’s military leadership requires sweeping personnel changes, including replacing both the commander-in-chief and the chief of the General Staff, to give younger commanders greater influence.

“We need fundamental personnel decisions. A new commander-in-chief, a new chief of the General Staff, so that our young commanders are no longer held back,” he said.

Other Topics of Interest

Senior Air Force Commander Quits, Calls Fedorov’s Dismissal ‘Great Evil’

The resignation marks the first high-profile military protest over Fedorov's dismissal as Ukraine's sweeping government reshuffle gathers pace.

The former minister also accused the General Staff of obstructing reforms inside the defense ministry, saying it took four months to approve a program supplying brigades with drones because of bureaucratic disputes.

“In six months we were unable to change the structure of the defense ministry because the General Staff would not approve it,” he said.

Fedorov said Ukraine’s future battlefield advantage depends on technology rather than manpower, arguing that drones should replace soldiers wherever possible.

“First, drones should fight. We must protect people. We should lose drones, not soldiers. Only then should infantry move in,” he said.

He also called for creating a dedicated school of modern warfare to train a new generation of military leaders based on lessons learned during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Highlighting achievements during his six-month tenure, Fedorov said interceptor drones are now downing 70-80% of Russian Shahed drones, Ukraine has increased procurement of ground robotic systems from 12,000 last year to 50,000 this year, and his ministry has begun developing a layered air defense concept designed to intercept up to 95% of Shahed drones and cruise missiles using new technologies.

Fedorov also said Ukraine had successfully persuaded Elon Musk to restrict Russian access to Starlink terminals after direct talks.

“We understood that if we didn’t cut the Russians off from Starlink, it would become a serious problem. At first it seemed impossible, but Elon suggested a video call, and we talked,” he said.

Addressing criticism over mobilization, Fedorov acknowledged that the initial stage of reforming Ukraine’s Defense Forces lacked sufficient consultation with society, the military, and experts, particularly regarding the introduction of new military service contracts.

“I would like to admit a mistake we made at the first stage. When you are developing a project that affects so many people, you cannot do it without consulting Ukrainian society, experts, and the military. We failed to have those discussions when we were developing the contracts,” he said.

Fedorov argued that future reforms should begin with an open public dialogue. According to him, the process should involve lawmakers, regional representatives, military experts, and the leadership of the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs) and Joint Forces Command to ensure broader public trust and support.

He said responsibility for TRCs lies with the Ground Forces rather than the defense ministry, adding that he had avoided publicly discussing the issue while in office to prevent further divisions.

According to Fedorov, Ukraine will not be able to solve its mobilization challenges without first addressing deeper systemic problems within the military.

“Do you think young people are discussing military contracts now? No. They are talking about the commander of the 155th Brigade, about what he did, and about the situation in the assault units,” Fedorov said.

He appeared to be referring to Stanislav Luchanov, the former commander of Ukraine’s 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade, who was recently ordered by the Rokytne District Court in Kyiv Region to remain in custody for 60 days on suspicion of organizing the abduction and murder of two civilians.

Fedorov argued that public trust cannot be restored through messaging alone.

“The question is: what are we selling? What is the product? A lie? No. We have to change the product. Ukrainians have earned that. Ukrainians know how to take responsibility. This isn’t about me – I don’t need a ministerial position for the sake of having one,” he said.

Fedorov’s remarks came a day after Zelensky confirmed his dismissal, citing, among other reasons, disagreements between the former minister and Syrsky over the conduct of the war.

Deputy Commander of Ukraine’s Air Force Pavlo Yelizarov announced his resignation on Thursday, saying he could not remain in the Armed Forces after Zelensky’s decision to remove Fedorov.

“I believe that the dismissal of M. Fedorov is a great evil for the country’s defense capability,” Yelizarov wrote on Facebook, adding that he has no intention of continuing his military service.

Fedorov’s departure is part of a broader government reshuffle expected to see Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko replace him as defense minister. 

Zelensky earlier acknowledged that the decision was driven by differences between Fedorov and Syrsky over how the war should be fought. The president said Fedorov would remain on his team in another capacity but did not specify his future role.

The move has sparked public backlash. Thousands of people gathered near Kyiv’s Ivan Franko Theater on Thursday, urging Zelensky to reverse the decision and keep Fedorov in office. 

The dismissal has also drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers, political analysts, and European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius, who called it “a big surprise” and stressed the importance of maintaining Ukraine-EU defense cooperation.

It is important to note that Fedorov’s dismissal still requires parliamentary approval.

After lawmakers approved Serhiy Koretsky’s appointment as prime minister, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced a break of approximately two hours, with the session expected to resume after 2 p.m. Kyiv time.

During the debate on Koretsky’s nomination, lawmakers from several political factions urged their colleagues to heed the demands of protesters and reject Fedorov’s dismissal. Others called on the defense minister to address parliament and report on the results of his six months in office before any vote is held.

Meanwhile, several Ukrainian media outlets, citing parliamentary sources, reported that there were not enough votes within the Verkhovna Rada to approve Fedorov’s dismissal.