Zelenskyy offered Fedorov positions outside Defense Ministry; ex-minister refused — sources
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov several positions, including Deputy Prime Minister for Technology, but Fedorov declined, arguing he could not implement his strategy to stop Russia without the real powers held only by the Defense Ministry.
According to sources in Ukrainian political circles, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov several options to remain in government, including the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Technology Development. However, Fedorov rejected these proposals. He explained that without the real powers that only the Ministry of Defense possesses, it would be impossible to implement his strategy to stop Russia.
Sources in military circles told Ukrainska Pravda that Fedorov argued that after the appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the previous Defense Ministry team could immediately engage in joint work to transform the defense forces. In contrast, appointing a new person to the Defense Ministry would require months to form a team and get up to speed with all processes. Moreover, after the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief, the formal reason that the president had cited for not wanting to submit Fedorov's candidacy for the Defense Ministry head position disappeared.
It is worth recalling that from July 16 to 21, rallies took place in Kyiv and other cities demanding the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the post of Defense Minister and the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Minister Fedorov and Commander Syrskyi could not find common ground and that problems on the battlefield, in brigades, and with mobilization remained unresolved. On July 18, Zelenskyy stated that he had held talks with ex-Minister Fedorov and Commander Syrskyi and promised that "decisions on the army would be worked out." On July 20, Syrskyi apologized to ex-Defense Minister Fedorov, claiming he had not been aware of the conflict between them. After six days of protests, Zelenskyy dismissed Oleksandr Syrskyi from the post of Commander-in-Chief and announced the appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi in his place. The president also stated that he had offered Fedorov a "dignified position in power." According to Ukrainska Pravda's sources, one of the positions offered was Deputy Prime Minister for Technology.
