Zelenskyy appoints new defense minister, refuses to reinstate Fedorov

Successor for dismissed Defense Minister reportedly chosen; new protests announced for Friday

28 July 2026 | 19:54 CEST

Photo: Sebastian Wells/Ostkreuz

By Barbara Oertel

A reinstatement of dismissed Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appears to be off the table for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the Ukrainian news agency RBK-Ukraine, citing a source from Fedorov's inner circle.

Successor Named

According to reports from Tuesday, Yevhen Khmara – previously head of the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service SBU – is to take over the post of Defense Minister. Khmara has already held the position on an interim basis since Fedorov's dismissal.

"If they had wanted to bring Fedorov back on board, they would have made him an offer immediately. But as it is, it's clear that all the talk of a deputy prime minister and the like was merely intended to calm the street protests," RBK-Ukraine quotes its informant.

The agency reports that Zelenskyy's willingness to "make concessions" or "listen" to the Ukrainian people has its limits. After he fulfilled a demand of the protesters by dismissing Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, he will not comply with the other demand to bring Fedorov back.

High Level of Competence

Over two weeks ago, Zelenskyy dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a comprehensive government reshuffle. The 35-year-old, who had only been in office since January, is popular among many Ukrainians. He is credited above all with a high level of military competence.

From July 16, thousands of people in the capital Kyiv and other cities took to the streets for days with slogans such as "Shame" and "Give us back Fedorov." After it became known that there had been massive disagreements between Fedorov and Syrskyi, calls for Syrskyi's dismissal also grew loud during the protests. Zelenskyy bowed to this demand, after which the rallies became significantly smaller.

Continued Dissatisfaction

But not all Ukrainians appear willing to give in – including Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a veteran of the Ukrainian army and former medic. On social media, he called for continued support for Fedorov, stating that the protesters still had not received answers to their questions.

Zelenskyy must continue the dialogue with Fedorov, Koziatynskyi wrote on his Facebook page, and announced another protest action for next Friday in Kyiv. The dissatisfied reportedly plan to change their tactics: instead of gathering in a square, they intend to march through the Ukrainian capital.

Public Support

According to a survey by the Rejting agency from July 20/21, 13.4 percent of Ukrainians would be willing to vote for Fedorov in presidential elections if he were to run. Before the government reshuffle, this figure stood at 2 to 3 percent.

However, citing a source from Fedorov's circle, RBK-Ukraine reports that Fedorov has no intention of entering politics – although much depends on the further course of events: the protest situation, the situation at the front, and possible pressure exerted on him or his confidants.

This article is published by taz, which is 100% reader-owned and freely accessible without a paywall.