"Doing things with a bunch of restrictions that give you the opportunity to start defeating the enemy? Well, then you're out of the job of minister." What do entrepreneurs, volunteers, and public figures think about Fedorov's dismissal from the Ministry of Defense?

Andriy Logvin, founder of KASTA

«Fedorov’s release is more than a mistake. It’s a crime. In 5 months, changing the vector of the war and thus strengthening our defense capabilities! An incredible contribution of one person to stability. There is no reason for his release. None. I repeat. Today, this is not just a mistake. It’s a crime. Evil is not enough.»

Artem Borodatyuk, co-founder of Fractal Group

Mikhail Fedorov is no longer the Minister of Defense. I have no example of a better solution for the enemy than this. Made a state in a smartphone and kicked corruption out of where it had been feeding for decades? 23 million people in «Diya», 184 billion saved? Built an Army of drones, which in 2025 gave 819 thousand hits from video and 240,000 minuses of enemy personnel? Make decisions and be responsible for them? Do you make systemic reforms, not imitation? Work with the result, not the process? Measure in numbers, not in reports? Come up with non-standard solutions, and then implement them yourself, like turning off Starlink? Do you do things with a BUNCH of restrictions that make it possible to start defeating the enemy? Well, then you’re out of the fucking position of minister.

Serhiy Yevtushenko, CEO UDPRenewables

Unfortunately, my intuition did not let me down. This whole story with the resignation of Yulia Anatolyivna’s government is a cover operation for the resignation of Mykhailo Fedorov, the most effective Minister of Defense of Ukraine in the last 5 years.

For some reason, it happens so often in our country — in the endless efforts of pseudo-reforms and imitation of activity — the best civil servants, the most principled, the most effective are often lost. But ministries are uncontrollably merged and separated, powers are redistributed, and all with one goal — to remain in power above all else. This is certainly a big step back in the direction of transparency and accountability of the Ministry of Defense, at least that is what most analysts and insiders of the process believe.

But there is good news for Mikhail Fedorov himself — he has excellent starting capital for an independent political career. I think he is only at the beginning of it. During 7 years in Zelensky’s government, he has built his reputation and received the best prize — the respect of society and business.

Serhiy Sternenko, volunteer

«From now on, I am not an advisor to the Minister of Defense, which undoubtedly reduces the possibilities of helping to qualitatively change the situation in the army with drones. We just had new tender requirements for the procurement of FPV drones, which would allow the army to receive the best means and develop infrastructure for deeper strikes. I hope they will eventually be approved.

For our part, we will continue to provide the army with top-of-the-line products in the fund, but, of course, on a smaller scale. Together with you. We managed to unify ground control stations for drones on fiber optics. We were able to slightly influence the development of individual brigades, bringing them to significantly higher positions in the overall rating.

We failed… Many things. Including due to bureaucratic obstacles and artificial delays on the part of those who are hindered by army reform. We failed to have time to help our country more in the conditions of a full-scale war. But still, this is an important experience. Experience in a team to which I had the honor of belonging.

Mykhailo Fedorov is the best Minister of Defense in our entire history. Thank you for your example of leadership and service. It is a shame that today our state has become much further from victory. It is a shame that real reforms were not even allowed to begin, although we still managed to change a lot. I am not sorry for you, for the people who see and understand everything. And support you. This is definitely not the end. Infinite respect to Mykhailo. Thanks to everyone who is not silent. There will be more.

Oleg Horohovsky, co-founder of monobank

Mykhailo Fedorov is the best minister in the entire history of Ukraine. Extremely honest, decent and effective. Thank you, Misho, for everything you have done for the country! You have earned the enormous respect of all of us and a great credit of trust. I am proud of you, my friend!

Oleksandr Krakovetsky, CEO DevRain

Replacing Mikhail Fedorov is a mistake. We can only win with the help of technology and innovation. And we are starting to succeed. Moreover, Mikhail managed to gather a bunch of cool and talented people from the industry who would never have entered the civil service in their lives. Obviously, it is impossible to rationally explain this decision, so I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail.

Serhiy Fursa, investment banker, deputy director for securities trading at Dragon Capital

Fedorov has allowed himself too much. He’s too smart. People are starting to like him. He could have figured it out in time. He would have written down another hundred apartments for his brother, decided on some tender with the generals, got drunk and hit a goat with a car at a speed of 250 km. At least. But no. Now he will pay for his sins. And we are with him.

Andriy Fedoriv, ​​marketer, founder of Fedoriv Group

I don’t remember when I felt so much gratitude and so much disappointment at the same time.

Maria Berlinska, Head of the Air Intelligence Support Center

Appointing Fedorov as Minister of Defense is one of President Zelenskyy’s wisest decisions. Firing Fedorov now is one of President Zelenskyy’s biggest mistakes. What Fedorov and his team did to gain an advantage in the technological war is certainly talented, and at times even, without exaggeration, brilliant. The situation is so bad that ordinary good governance will no longer help.

This is no longer a cold, not bronchitis, and not even pneumonia. The last stages of tuberculosis. What is needed here is not an ordinary therapist, but a council of medical luminaries. Only asymmetric, technological, non-standard and, exceptionally, ingenious solutions will save us. This decision of the president will not cost us dearly. But insanely expensive.

The price will be the lives and health of hundreds of thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands, if not more. I really want to be wrong. But I am clearly and essentially responsible for every one of my predictions during the 12 years of war. A fatal mistake by the President. The report is complete.

Kateryna Chernogorenko, Head of the HQCJ Digitalization Program from the Laboratory of Legislative Changes and former Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development

If we already have changes, then the Ministry of Defense should implement digital combat orders as soon as possible. We have lost a whole year. We need to consult with the industry, develop a strategy for the development of drones. Publish the public part. Close the secret part. Adopt our drone dominance program like in the USA or like in Britain. We need to immediately restore the pace of digitalization of the army. As before, I believe that digitalization is the only chance to deal with the problems in the army.

Yaryna Klyuchkovska, strategic communications consultant

I hope that Mykhailo Fedorov will build a breakthrough international miltech business and honestly earn big money. And Ukraine will benefit from this. And the government… If we survive, then over these years new, worthy leaders will grow and harden. Leaders worthy of trust and our votes in the next elections.

Yuriy Gaidai, expert at the Center for Economic Strategy

The overarching motive and message of this change, I’m afraid, is clear — less civil technocracy, accountability, and reforms through digitalization, more administrative-forceful coercion and verticality. Could this be a winning bet in the war against an authoritarian system that has honed administrative-forceful coercion to a state of concrete perfection? I doubt it.

Will horizontally-anarchically-inventive Ukrainians be able to compensate for this? Probably. But it was possible without this dispersion of efforts and will. And without actualizing old traumas, without breaking the process of appropriation of their state by Ukrainians, which was gradually unfolding.

I conclude for myself that I was too optimistic about the logic of the current government. I was wrong.

Garik Korogodsky, businessman and public figure Garik Korogodsky called during the renewal of the Cabinet of Ministers

Fedorov’s dismissal is a big systemic mistake. I’m only going by my own experience, and it’s considerable. When the top guys in your team are fighting, you can’t take the side of one of them. These are the basics. And war doesn’t cancel these laws.

PS I don’t know any of the actors closely, I don’t have any personal qualities or details.

Co-owner of the Milk Alliance Group of Companies and the River Mall shopping mall

As I understand it, Mikhail Fedorov never managed to digitize the main principle of army management. You are the boss — I am a fool. I am the boss — you are a fool. That’s why.