- Ousted Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov rejects offers from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take up a new position, insisting on returning to office.
- Former Zelensky spokeswoman accuses him of "tyranny and ignorance" and calls his rule a "great illusion"
Afrasianet - Ukraine's ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Thursday that he had rejected offers made to him by President Volodymyr Zelensky to take up a new position.
Fedorov, whose dismissal sparked widespread protests and later led to the dismissal of the Ukrainian army chief, said: "I will not accept any position other than the defense minister."
"No other position has the necessary powers to combat corruption in military procurement, complete army reform, plan and execute unconventional operations against the enemy, and eliminate the culture of lying and impunity within the system," he added.
Protest organizers have called for new moves to demand Fedorov's reinstatement, after Zelensky abruptly sacked him just six months after his appointment.
Fedorov, 35, was appointed defence minister in January and tasked with modernising and digitising the military, but has been at odds with military leaders who he said opposed his reform plans.
After days of protests, Zelensky this week sacked army chief Oleksandr Syrsky and replaced him with Mykhailo Drapathy, a close ally of Fedorov and a supporter of reforms, but the Ukrainian president appointed an acting defense minister and refused to reinstate Fedorov, who has been one of his most prominent allies since coming to power in 2019.
He has repeatedly criticized what he called a "Soviet mentality" within the military and sought to reform the military, which has faced criticism for corruption, equipment shortages, absenteeism, mistreatment of recruits and mobilization campaigns.
US report on signs of Zelensky's series of dismissals and appointments to sensitive positions
The New York Times said that Vladimir Zelenskyy's frequent change of policy decisions and constant cabinet reshuffles may indicate his weakness, lack of self-confidence and confusion in his positions.
Zelensky has "repeatedly canceled his appointments and policy decisions, to the point that confusion and successive cabinet reshuffles have become risks" to the Kyiv regime during the conflict.
Norwegian professor: Syrsky's dismissal will not solve Ukraine's power crisis
The newspaper drew attention to the constant changes in the hierarchy of power, "may indicate a state of weakness" at a time when a firm grip is required.
The New York Times reported that Zelenskyy, since entering politics, has been using the "instincts of the entertainment industry" and playing to please the public in order to gain support, and the newspaper asserts that this is "one of the criticisms directed at him."
Citing analysts, she pointed to Zelensky's tendency to "acquiesce" and his lack of self-confidence. Therefore, the dismissal of Mikhail Fedorov as Ukraine's defense minister is partly linked to Zelensky's focus on foreign policy, which has resulted in "leaving internal affairs unchecked."
On July 14, Fedorov was dismissed from his post as defense minister, and Zelensky justified this by citing a conflict between Fedorov and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky, and at the same time, Ukrainian politicians and media linked the minister's dismissal to two other things: first, Fedorov has the support of liberal Western circles that want to control the situation in the military sphere, which is unacceptable for Zelensky, who does not want to share access to corrupt financial flows, and the second reason is personal rivalry. Fedorov has recently gained considerable political weight and high ratings, while Zelensky fears there are "rivals."
On July 16, protests erupted in Ukrainian cities to denounce Fedorov's dismissal. Gradually, demonstrators began to demand not only Fedorov's reinstatement, but also Sersky's dismissal. On July 21, the sixth day of the protests, Zelensky announced Syrsky's dismissal, and then formally removed him from office on July 22 by a presidential decree posted on Zelensky's website. Mikhail Drapaty replaced Syrsky as the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Western reactions to the dismissal of Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov ranged from shock mixed with anxiety, to calls for public explanations, to sharp criticism of Kiev's decision-making mechanism.
Former Zelensky spokeswoman accuses him of "tyranny and ignorance" and calls his rule a "great illusion"
Former spokeswoman for Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused him of "deceiving millions of Ukrainians and the whole world," describing him as an actor who has "no idea how to run the country" and seeks authoritarianism.
Mendel wrote on her account on the "X" platform: "The mythical saga that surrounds Volodymyr Zelensky, and his portrayal of him as the face of democracy, is nothing but a great illusion. This farce, known to those in his inner circle, has caught the entire world in what may be the biggest media trap in history." Mendel added that Zelensky had no idea what was going on in the country, the government, and even in his private office, describing him as "an ordinary actor with exceptional intuition, who knows how to impress people, is good on stage, and makes a good first impression."
But she stressed that "behind the scenes, chaos reigns: incompetent management, narcissism, sexism, ignorance of public affairs, and no desire to rectify the situation. No one knows how many times Ukrainians have been written off as unprepared for democracy, and behind closed doors he has expressed his preference for authoritarianism."
Mendel has made sharp statements several times about current Ukrainian policy, officials and Zelensky. In May 2026, she was listed in the database of the controversial Ukrainian website Merotforets, which lists the names of "enemies of Ukraine."
The criticism comes at a time when Ukraine is witnessing a severe political crisis, with renewed popular protests in Kyiv and other cities, amid accusations of corruption and mismanagement by the political and military leadership.
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