The youngest defense minister in Ukrainian history announces resignation, having actively promoted expanded drone usage and helped Ukrainian forces gain access to Starlink during his tenure
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's defense minister, announced his resignation on Wednesday. This follows the resignation of the prime minister, part of a government reshuffle pushed by President Zelenskyy.
In a lengthy statement posted on Telegram, Fedorov wrote: "It has been an immense honor to serve Ukraine as its defense minister." He listed multiple achievements made by the Ministry of Defense. Fedorov assumed office as defense minister in January this year.
He particularly highlighted advancements in drone production and utilization, as well as the initiation of large-scale military reforms—especially reforming military contracting. He described this reform as "unpopular but absolutely necessary."
This announcement came after Ukraine’s parliament approved the resignation of Prime Minister Ioulia Svyrydenko on Tuesday. The resignation was initiated by President Zelenskyy, following Zelenskyy’s own announcement on Sunday of a government reshuffle to align with adjustments in political strategy.
Fedorov, who was appointed defense minister at age 35, is the youngest person ever to hold the position in Ukrainian history. When he took over the ministry, his main task was to inject new energy into Kyiv’s war system after four years of Russian invasion.
He was among the earliest advocates for expanding drone use, which has now become an indispensable tool on the battlefield.
In his statement, Fedorov said: "The number of drones we acquired in four months exceeds the total amount received throughout the entire previous year."
He also reached out to American billionaire Elon Musk to help secure Starlink satellite network connectivity for Ukrainian forces. Today, this technology has become a critical component of Ukraine’s military infrastructure. At the same time, he worked to cut off Russian forces’ access to this technology.
Subsequently, Serhiy Sternenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, also announced his resignation on Telegram. In his message, he praised the outgoing defense minister and his accomplishments, while expressing regret over "bureaucratic obstacles and deliberate obstruction."
According to Ukrainian media reports, Fedorov’s successor may be current Interior Minister Igor Klymenko.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870817236639751/
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