Ex-Defence Minister Fedorov Says His Defence Procurement Reforms Contributed to His Dismissal

Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said that one of the reasons for his dismissal was resistance to his reforms within the Ministry of Defence, especially changes to procurement and tender procedures that impacted the interests of many people and companies.

In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Fedorov explained that he and the ministry faced significant pressure from various parties because they began restructuring many internal processes. From around early April, tensions were rising, and it became clear that this would lead to something. The issues were related to procurement, tenders, and the restructuring of these processes, which made many people unhappy. These groups then tried to influence the situation and spread negativity in the media.

Fedorov stressed that he was not fighting specific individuals or groups but was trying to change the system itself. Among his main priorities were launching competitive tenders, restructuring management within the ministry, and introducing a new approach to staff recruitment to align with reform goals.

The former minister said he regards pressure from various sides as part of the process and believes that to solve the problems, the ministry's fundamental operating principles must be changed. He also mentioned warning the president about a possible disinformation campaign because the reforms affected the interests of various groups.

Pressure intensified month by month and ultimately became one of the factors behind the government reshuffle and his dismissal.