Ukraine defence minister resigns as part of Zelensky's cabinet reshuffle
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Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced his resignation on Wednesday as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky's cabinet reshuffle, stepping down after overseeing a rapid expansion of drone warfare capabilities and military reforms during Russia's full-scale invasion.
By: FRANCE 24 FILE PHOTO: Ukraine's Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov speaks at a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 1, 2026. © Alina Smutko, Reuters Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Wednesday he was resigning as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky 's cabinet reshuffle that saw the country's prime minister step down .
"It was a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people as defence minister," he wrote on Telegram in a lengthy post listing the achievements of his ministry, which he had taken over in January.
Fedorov in particular hailed the development of drone production and use since Russia 's full-scale invasion in February 2022, as well as the start of sweeping army reforms.
The announcement came after Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday approved the resignation of Yulia Svyrydenko as prime minister after a year in the post.
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He was one of the earliest advocates of the growing use of drones , which have become a feature of the conflict on the front line.
He also cemented a deal with Elon Musk to obtain Starlink satellite connectivity for Ukrainian troops and to cut Russian troops' access to it.
According to Ukrainian media, Fedorov could be replaced by the current interior minister Igor Klymenko.
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