Protest erupts in Ukraine after Zelensky removes Defence Minister? Who is he
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Protest erupts in Ukraine after Zelensky removes Defence Minister? Who is he")
File photo of Ukraine Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Photograph: (AFP)
Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced late Wednesday he was stepping down, saying it was a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people, amid a sweeping government reshuffle ordered by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Massive protests surfaced in several Ukrainian cities on Thursday morning (July 16, 2026) against the removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. During the protest, over a thousand people gathered on a central square, singing the Ukrainian national anthem, waving Ukrainian and EU flags, as well as chanting slogans "shame" and "bring Fedorov back".
Appointed just six months ago, Fedorov had earned a reputation as a moderniser who attempted to bring reform in the Ukrainian military, which has been under the Russian invasion. His removal risks throwing uncertainty into the army at a time when Ukraine has gained one of its best positions in the conflict for months, slowing Russia's advance and pounding oil and military sites with long-range drones.
Fedorov announced late Wednesday he was stepping down, saying it was a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people, amid a sweeping government reshuffle ordered by President Volodymyr Zelensky. No official reason was given for the decision, which protestors saw as part of infighting inside Ukraine's military establishment between Fedorov and commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
Who is Mykhailo Fedorov?
Mykhailo Fedorov is a Ukrainian tech-focused reformer who served as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine for six months. Prior to his defence role, he gained international recognition as the Minister of Digital Transformation, during which he developed the highly successful Diia state services app and scaled up Ukraine’s "drone army".
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From 2019 to March 2023, he also served as a Deputy PM and Minister of Digital Transformation. On 21 March 2023, his duties and title were expanded to Deputy PM for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology – Minister for Digital Transformation. From 17 July 2025 to 13 January 2026, Fedorov acted as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Minister of Digital Transformation in the government of Yulia Svyrydenko.
Education and political journey
A graduate of Zaporizhzhya National University, he first gained public attention in 2012 after being elected "Student Mayor of Zaporizhzhia" during a local student festival. He later founded SMM Studio, a digital marketing company, before entering politics. Fedorov made his first electoral attempt in 2014, contesting the parliamentary election as a candidate of the 5.10 political party. However, the party failed to cross the electoral threshold and did not secure representation in parliament.
Following Volodymyr Zelenskyy's presidential victory in 2019, Fedorov became an adviser to the new president. Later that year, he was elected to Ukraine's parliament on the Servant of the People party list and was appointed Minister of Digital Transformation in the Honcharuk government.
As Digital Transformation Minister, Fedorov spearheaded the ambitious "state in a smartphone" initiative, which aimed to make all government services available online and simplify citizens' access to public services through digital platforms. Although funding for the project initially relied on international assistance and partnerships, the programme became one of Ukraine's flagship governance reforms.
In 2023, after a brief dismissal, Fedorov was reappointed as Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology while also returning as Minister of Digital Transformation. He further strengthened Ukraine's digital infrastructure and innovation ecosystem during the ongoing war.
On January 14, 2026, Fedorov was appointed Ukraine's Minister of Defence after being nominated by President Zelenskyy. Upon taking office, he highlighted key challenges facing the military, including mobilisation shortages and desertions. However, his tenure lasted only about seven months. He was removed from office during a wider government reshuffle initiated by President Zelenskyy following the resignation of the prime minister and several cabinet ministers.
