The Rada approved Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defense of Ukraine
14 January 14:11
The Verkhovna Rada supported the appointment of former Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defense of Ukraine. This decision was voted for by 277 MPs at a meeting on Wednesday, January 14, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Some deputies from Batkivshchyna and Holos, as well as 17 representatives of the ruling Servant of the People party, abstained or did not participate in the vote. After that, Fedorov took the oath of office as Minister of Defense. He replaced Denys Shmyhal in this position.
Mykhailo Fedorov became the fourth defense minister in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. He previously served as Minister of Digital Transformation and First Deputy Prime Minister.
Fedorov promised systemic reforms
Speaking after his appointment as minister, Fedorov called the Ukrainian army the main guarantee of the country’s security. At the same time, he highlighted a number of problems that hinder its effectiveness, including the Soviet approach, excessive bureaucracy, and disruptions in supplying the front.
“We will propose a systemic solution to solve the problems that have accumulated over the years, while preserving the country’s defense capabilities,” the new minister promised.
According to him, it is impossible to “fight with new technologies and an old organizational structure.”
“Our goal is to change the system: to carry out army reform, improve infrastructure on the front lines, eradicate lies and corruption, and make leadership and trust a new culture,” he added.
In early January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered Mykhailo Fedorov the position of defense minister.
