Mykhailo Fedorov Appointed Minister of Defence of Ukraine

Upon the submission of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the appointment of Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defence of Ukraine.

A total of 277 Members of Parliament voted in favor of his candidacy.

Following his appointment, the newly appointed Minister of Defence addressed the Verkhovna Rada, outlining key achievements in the defence sector and defining future priorities.

Among the main achievements during the period of the full-scale invasion, he highlighted:

• The transfer of 50,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine by international partners;

• The launch of the Army of Drones initiative;

• The establishment of strike UAV units (Assault UAV Companies);

• Deregulation and opening of markets for manufacturers of drones, electronic warfare systems, unmanned robotic systems, missiles, and related technologies;

• The creation of Brave1: the cluster currently includes more than 2,350 companies and over 4,900 developments, with more than 730 grants issued to companies totaling over UAH 2.6 billion;

• The launch of the e-Points system;

• The start of the Drone Line initiative.

In his new role, Mykhailo Fedorov outlined several strategic priorities:

• Implementation of comprehensive military reform;

• Improvement of frontline infrastructure;

• Elimination of corruption risks;

• Development of leadership and trust as the foundation of a new organizational culture.

“The President has set a clear objective: to build a system capable of stopping the enemy in the air, halting its advance on the ground, strengthening asymmetric and cyber strikes against the enemy and its economy, and making the cost of war for russia unsustainable,” the Minister emphasized.

In addition, Mykhailo Fedorov identified key areas of focus, including the training of Ukrainian servicemembers, improvement of their financial and social support, deepening cooperation with international partners, and development of the defence industry.

He also stressed that anti-corruption measures will become the cornerstone of the renewed Ministry of Defence.

“One of my first decisions as Minister of Defence will be to ensure a basic level of drone supply for brigades, which currently face a critical shortage,” Mykhailo Fedorov concluded.