Former Ukraine Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov
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Former Ukraine Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov says Kyiv could be capable of striking Russia with domestically-made ballistic missiles by the end of 2026.
Federov became Defense Minister in January, and was widely hailed for technological innovation and implementation. However, he was dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July amid Fedorov’s disputes with commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi. The removal has sparked mass protests calling for his reinstatement.
Fedorov told the US-based CBS News, “We need to defeat Russia in every technological cycle.” The comments echo those of Zelensky and of Fire Point, the Ukrainian manufacturer of long-range missiles, who have given a similar timeline.
The former Defense Minister cautioned that although Ukraine is innovating quickly, Russia is also advancing rapidly.
On Sunday, around 2,000 protesters gathered in Kyiv’s Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People, calling for Fedorov’s reinstatement.
Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran and one of the organizers said the rally aimed to “remind the President of the importance of dialogue between the authorities and society, as well as the fact that the President himself must bear responsibility for the consequences of all questionable personnel decisions”.
