Zelensky fired me over anti-graft reforms – ex-Ukrainian defense minister

Mikhail Fedorov was dismissed after just six months in office in a sweeping government reshuffle Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov has claimed he was dismissed because reforms to overhaul military procurement and tackle entrenched interests within the ministry triggered a backlash. Fedorov was removed by Vladimir Zelensky earlier this month after just six months in office as part of a sweeping government reshuffle. At the time, Zelensky cited tensions between the defense minister and commander-in-chief Aleksandr Syrsky, while Ukrainian media reported that disagreements over military reform lay behind the rift. In an interview with Ukrainskaya Pravda published on Wednesday, Fedorov suggested the broader government reshuffle may have served as cover for his dismissal. He said changes to procurement rules and defense tenders had angered vested interests. “Very many people surrounded the Ministry of Defense and me as minister because we started rebuilding many internal processes,” he said. The reforms had “caused great dissatisfaction” among those whose interests they affected, Fedorov added. He also said private companies and law enforcement exerted influence over the ...