Ukraine risks losing the war against Russia unless it quickly implements a unified strategy to reverse recent battlefield setbacks, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in an interview with Reuters.
Fedorov, dismissed six months after his appointment, warned that Ukraine has only a few months left to shift the trajectory of the 4.5-year conflict. He cited a lack of overarching vision for victory, entrenched corruption, inefficiencies in state institutions and resistance to reforms as key obstacles. Russia has made incremental gains in critical areas such as the fortified belt in eastern Donetsk region, even as its broader 1,200-kilometer frontline advance has largely stalled this year.
The Ukrainian presidential administration defended Fedorov’s tenure, stating his military leadership had been effective and that only his personal status had changed since his dismissal. Fedorov, 35, was removed after initiating reforms in procurement and mobilization that clashed with military leadership and political rivals.
In a Monday discussion in Kyiv, he emphasized the urgent need for domestically produced autonomous AI-driven drones, low-cost interceptors against Russian air strikes and a domestic ballistic missile program. Ukrainian manufacturers are developing these technologies, but their deployment remains uncoordinated, limiting battlefield impact. Fedorov proposed a vision for a frontline networked with electronic sensors and drone systems to minimize human exposure, stating that existing technologies could halt Russian advances if deployed systematically.
He also criticized the Defense Ministry’s structure, alleging that department heads were appointed at the behest of arms manufacturers to serve corporate interests. Fedorov did not name the companies involved. Earlier this week, he became the first senior official to publicly call for elections during wartime, citing a structural government crisis. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected the proposal, warning that elections could destabilize the war effort. Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, suspending elections for security reasons. Zelenskiy suggested external actors may have influenced Fedorov’s stance, a claim Fedorov denied.
Despite logistical challenges posed by millions of displaced citizens and occupied territories, Fedorov expressed confidence that Ukraine could find innovative ways to hold elections. He declined to say whether he would run for president.
