Fedorov: Corruption is preventing Ukraine from ending the war from a position of strength

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in an interview with Channel 24 that corruption is stopping Ukraine from ending the war from a position of strength. He said many people have built schemes to serve their own interests, which slows down the adoption of correct decisions. Fedorov noted he encountered such schemes while working at the Ministry of Defense, where he fought against them and dismantled some of them.

He emphasized that these schemes are backed by a segment of law enforcement officials, and that the problem is not limited to one project or one branch of power. Fedorov described it as a need for a new social contract, calling for people capable of making effective decisions to end the war to be allowed to work and then judged through the ongoing democratic process. He expressed concern that society is no longer surprised by new NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) recordings and has started treating corruption as normal.

Refuses to name names

Asked why he does not name the corrupt individuals, Fedorov said the time will come when all Ukrainians learn these names — some through law enforcement recordings, others through journalistic investigations. He added that he and his team are also working on this. According to him, the issue is not about one or two people, nor only top officials, but about hundreds of people who have grown accustomed over the years to profiting from the state budget.

Asked why these people have prevailed, given that Fedorov was not reinstated as defense minister, he said he believes they will ultimately lose, since the fight over the ministry is only part of a broader battle over the country's development. He pointed to citizen protest activity and the work of anti-corruption bodies as evidence of this.

Asked whether he still maintains contact with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Fedorov said they have definitely not spoken for several weeks. Earlier, on August 18, Fedorov said in a video address that Ukraine faces a systemic governance crisis, criticizing the influence of private interests on parliament's work in the defense, pharmaceutical, gambling and tax sectors.