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France 24
France 24
Politics
FRANCE 24

Ukraine defence minister resigns as part of Zelensky's cabinet reshuffle

Ukraine's Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov speaks at a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Ukraine's Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov speaks at a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 1, 2026. © Alina Smutko, Reuters

Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced his resignation on Wednesday as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky's cabinet reshuffle, stepping down after overseeing a rapid expansion of drone warfare capabilities and military reforms during Russia's full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Wednesday he was resigning as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky's cabinet reshuffle that saw the country's prime minister step down.

"It was a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people as defence minister," he wrote on Telegram in a lengthy post listing the achievements of his ministry, which he had taken over in January.

Fedorov in particular hailed the development of drone production and use since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, as well as the start of sweeping army reforms.

The announcement came after Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday approved the resignation of Yulia Svyrydenko as prime minister after a year in the post.

Volodymyr Zelensky au G7 à Évian le 16 juin 2026.
Cover image: Volodymyr Zelensky au G7 à Évian, le 16 juin 2026. © Vadim Ghirda, AP

Appointed at the age of 35, Fedorov was the youngest defence minister in Ukraine's history, and took over with the goal of injecting new energy into Kyiv's war machine.

He was one of the earliest advocates of the growing use of drones, which have become a feature of the conflict on the front line.

He also cemented a deal with Elon Musk to obtain Starlink satellite connectivity for Ukrainian troops and to cut Russian troops' access to it.

According to Ukrainian media, Fedorov could be replaced by the current interior minister Igor Klymenko.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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