Fedorov’s resignation has become one of Zelensky’s biggest challenges during war, - FT
The dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov sparked a massive public and political backlash and became one of the most serious challenges for Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the start of the full-scale war.
According to Censor.NET, the Financial Times reports on this.
Zelenskyy spent most of the day following Defense Minister Fedorov’s dismissal in talks with the head of the Office of the President, Kirill Budanov, trying to find a way out of the political crisis that arose after the personnel decision.
There was a "volatile" atmosphere in parliament
According to the publication, Fedorov’s resignation has laid bare divisions among the military leadership and even within the parliamentary majority, which had previously largely supported Zelenskyy’s personnel decisions.
Deputy Commander of the Air Force Pavel Yelizarov resigned in protest, calling Fedorov's dismissal "a great blow to the country's defense capabilities."
In addition, a lawmaker from the president’s party also resigned his seat and publicly endorsed Fedorov. This likely refers to Nikita Poturaev, who announced his early resignation from parliament prior to the vote on the new prime minister.
As the FT notes, lawmakers from the ruling party described the atmosphere in parliament as "explosive."
Fedorov has become Zelenskyy's harshest critic among government officials
The publication notes that Fedorov has become one of the president's sharpest critics among high-ranking officials during wartime.
In particular, he stated that Ukrainians took to the streets "not specifically to support Zelenskyy," but because, in his view, the country had strayed from the principles that had previously guided its development.
In addition, Fedorov publicly criticized the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, accusing him of blocking initiatives and failing to address systemic problems.
According to FT sources, including representatives of the defense industry, Ukrainian officials, and members of parliament, Fedorov was an obstacle to those seeking to profit from Ukraine’s multibillion-dollar defense budget.
