Ukraine is gradually losing ground in its war against Russia and has only a limited window to make crucial decisions that could change the direction of the conflict, former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has warned.
Speaking to Reuters, Fedorov said Ukraine still had a chance of defeating Russia but lacked a clear overall strategy for achieving victory.
“I think that there’s now a turning point which will determine our future trajectory, but it looks as though we’re gradually, slowly losing,” he said.
His comments represent a departure from Kyiv’s official position on the war. Ukraine’s presidential office responded by saying Fedorov had expressed a more positive assessment of the conflict while serving in government and suggested that his view had changed after leaving office.
Fedorov, 35, was dismissed from his position last month after about six months as defence minister. His removal reportedly followed disagreements with elements of the military establishment and political rivals after he introduced reforms targeting procurement and mobilisation.
He argued that corruption, patronage networks and weak political independence within government institutions were preventing Ukraine from making full use of its resources.
Fedorov also criticised what he described as the country’s inefficient state machinery, saying the Ukrainian government was operating at only about five per cent of its potential effectiveness.
According to the former minister, Ukraine needs to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous drones powered by artificial intelligence, inexpensive interceptor missiles and domestically produced ballistic missiles.
He said Ukraine’s defence industry already possesses much of the technology required but lacks a coordinated strategy for deploying it effectively.
“Technologies exist already which could completely stop the Russians, but our absence of vision … means we do not apply them,” Fedorov said.
Russia continues to strike Ukrainian industrial facilities and warehouses with ballistic missiles, while Ukraine faces shortages of air-defence interceptors. Russian forces have also continued making gradual advances in parts of the Donbas, although their territorial gains have been slower than during the previous year.
Ukraine has responded with increasingly deep drone and missile attacks against targets inside Russia, including military facilities and oil refineries. The attacks have reportedly disrupted parts of Russia’s fuel supply.
Fedorov said Ukraine has only a few months to take advantage of its current drone campaign, particularly efforts aimed at disrupting Russian military logistics and isolating occupied Crimea, before Moscow adapts to the tactics.
He said he had played a major role in expanding the campaign and had authorised spending earlier than originally planned to accelerate the development of Ukraine’s capabilities.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised that decision, saying the accelerated spending created a $27 billion gap in the defence ministry’s budget. Fedorov disputed the figure, saying his ministry had planned to cover the spending gap through procurement savings and international assistance.
The former minister also alleged that, when he took over the defence ministry, some department heads had been appointed at the request of Ukrainian defence companies to promote their commercial interests.
Fedorov has recently become increasingly critical of the Ukrainian government. Last week, he became the first major political figure to openly call for wartime elections, describing the country’s governance problems as systemic.
Despite his concerns, Fedorov maintained that Ukraine can still change the course of the war if it acts quickly and develops a coordinated strategy around its technological and military capabilities.
How did this story make you feel?
Join the conversation
Share a thoughtful response. Submissions may be reviewed before appearing.
