Zelenskyy comments on former Defense Minister Fedorov's possible return
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an interview (photo: Sky News)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the dismissal of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. According to the president, the decision was not about one individual but about ensuring the entire system functions effectively during wartime, according to Zelenskyy's interview with Sky News.
In the interview, the president said that he respects both Fedorov and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, but stressed that major military operations do not depend on a single person.
According to Zelenskyy, the success of operations, including strikes on targets inside Russia, is the result of the work of many institutions, including intelligence, special services, military units, and the command.
When asked by the journalist whether he could reappoint Fedorov, Zelenskyy did not give a direct answer. At the same time, he made it clear that he does not want internal disputes between officials to affect military decision-making.
The president said that during the war, he cannot spend time resolving constant conflicts between different institutions.
"I don't have time for talks. Look, I don't have time to listen to one side, then to listen to another side, because two sides are not ready to meet each day. And I don't need to find who is right and who is not right," Zelenskyy said, explaining his position.
According to him, Ukraine now needs a new approach to mobilization and new steps. There must be unity between the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense. He also stressed the importance of addressing anti-ballistic capabilities.
Zelenskyy said that he respects Syrskyi and values Fedorov's achievements in the field of drones, but also emphasized that even the most advanced technologies cannot fully replace soldiers on the front line, suggesting that drones alone do not determine everything on the battlefield.
"Because there are infiltrations of the enemy, and if you don't have soldiers on the front, you will lose this territory, you will lose the village, and after the village you will lose the city," the Ukrainian president said.
Background
Earlier, Zelenskyy explained that Fedorov's dismissal was linked to the lack of effective cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, the two sides were unable to establish effective cooperation without the president's involvement, even though they were expected to work together on a daily basis.
At the same time, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said that there was no conflict between him and Fedorov.
The Ukrainian president offered Fedorov the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Military Innovation, but Fedorov declined the offer.
The former defense minister stressed that he would not accept any other government position except the one he had previously held.
