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KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine’s departing defense minister launched a rare public challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky, criticizing the country’s top general and blaming its military leadership for blocking attempts to overhaul the armed forces.

Mykhailo Fedorov delivered the rebuke at a news conference Thursday, shortly after thousands gathered across the country to protest against his ouster the day after it became public.

Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov speaks at a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Alina Smutko/File Photo

Fedorov, a 35-year-old who previously served as Ukraine’s digital-innovation chief, is widely respected by Ukrainians and Western allies for his promotion of drones and other technologies that have helped Kyiv reverse Russian momentum on the battlefield in recent months.

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He assailed Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy , handpicked by Zelensky to lead the armed forces, for dragging his feet on the military modernization Fedorov had pushed for during his half-year in office.

“Today, my task is to show what we’ve done, and to talk about the risks that lie ahead for all of us,” Fedorov said. “I don’t want to later look my children in the eyes and realize that I didn’t speak up on what’s really going on.”

People protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s decision to replace Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, July 16, 2026. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova

Fedorov’s words and the street protests, while not immediately threatening to Zelensky, pose a challenge to the president, whose approval rating has risen in recent months as Ukraine’s military has turned the tide against Russia.

Zelensky said Thursday that he was confident that Fedorov would remain on his team and that the details would be worked out in the near future. The president said earlier this week that a government reshuffle, caused by the resignation of the country’s prime minister, would aim to foster unity between the Defense Ministry and the military.