Олександр КузьменкоThat's Life
17 July 2026, 13:06
2026-07-17
"This is a Soviet officer". MacPaw founder calls for Syrsky's resignation due to pressure on military IT workers and conflict with Fedorov
The founder and CEO of Ukrainian food company MacPaw, Oleksandr Kosovan, has publicly called for the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky. The entrepreneur harshly criticized his management methods, accused him of curtailing military-technical innovations, and expressed solidarity with the recently dismissed Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov.
The founder and CEO of Ukrainian food company MacPaw, Oleksandr Kosovan, has publicly called for the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky. The entrepreneur harshly criticized his management methods, accused him of curtailing military-technical innovations, and expressed solidarity with the recently dismissed Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov.
Oleksandr Kosovan wrote about this on his official Facebook page.
According to the entrepreneur, his personal meeting with the commander-in-chief at the beginning of his appointment allowed him to form an opinion about him. Kosovan called Oleksandr Syrsky a «Soviet officer» for whom human lives are an expendable resource, and modern technologies on the battlefield are «an incomprehensible whim.»
The founder of MacPaw drew particular attention to the events of 2024, when the process of disbanding key IT units of the General Staff began. According to Kosovan, this decision blocked the development of more than 100 defense software products, which were used by about 300 units of the Defense Forces at that time, and more than a thousand high-class engineers were actually sent to the infantry.
«He never understood what these people were doing. But he understood that they could be sent to the trenches,» the IT entrepreneur emphasized.
In contrast to Syrsky’s approach, Kosovan noted the work of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who managed to contract more drones in five months than in the entire previous year, launch mass deliveries of ground robotic complexes, and begin creating the first strike drone units, where people on the front lines are replaced by technology.
«We do not have unlimited resources — neither human nor material. This war can only be won through asymmetric solutions and justice, not by covering up schemes. Syrsky’s approach provides limited „heroic“ success at the cost of other people’s lives, for which his pocket generals will receive medals. It will not bring victory!» — stated the founder of MacPaw.
Oleksandr Kosovan’s statement appeared after the final briefing by Mykhailo Fedorov, at which he confirmed the conflict with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The resignation of Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defense and, ultimately, his absence from the new government have become one of the most discussed topics in the Ukrainian DefenceTech community — so much so that they eventually led to rallies in several cities. The industry’s reaction has been mixed: most entrepreneurs and investors express concern about the loss of momentum in reforms, while a smaller part calls for not personalizing the problem and trusting institutions rather than individuals.
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