KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly detailed the internal disputes that led to the firing of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, revealing that miscalculated spending, political maneuvering, and flawed military intelligence contributed to the high-profile fallout.
Speaking during an off-the-record briefing with reporters—the transcript of which was released on Sunday—Zelenskyy offered his first candid reflections on the political rift that sparked weeks of street protests in Kyiv and fueled calls for wartime elections.
"I really had and still have a very positive attitude toward Mykhailo. We have been through a lot together," Zelenskyy said. "But I believe that he himself goes, or is pushed, into the wrong things."
Fedorov, a widely popular figure credited with modernising Ukraine's military tech ecosystem and expanding drone capabilities, was removed from his post last month following friction with senior commanders. Following his dismissal, Fedorov rejected four alternative government positions offered by Zelenskyy and publicly called for national elections—a step Zelenskyy warned would be catastrophic during an active war.
"Holding elections right now would be a tsunami for the state that would split Ukraine apart," Zelenskyy cautioned, adding that no international partner has presented a viable plan to conduct safe, democratic voting under wartime conditions.
The Starlink Blunder and Tensions With Washington
Among the key catalysts behind the political friction, Zelenskyy pointed to inaccurate intelligence provided by the Defence Ministry that led to an embarrassing exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Zelenskyy, defence officials assured him earlier this year that SpaceX had approved the use of Starlink satellite communications over Russian territory for deep-strike operations, contingent on political sign-off. Based on that advice, Zelenskyy raised the matter directly with Trump, stating that Elon Musk had cleared the proposal.
However, in a subsequent meeting, Trump informed Zelenskyy that Musk flatly rejected the plan, treating deep-strike authorization as a dangerous escalation. The miscommunication left Trump feeling deceived by the Ukrainian delegation.
"He said that I had supposedly deceived him, because Musk had denied Ukraine the use of Starlink on Russian territory," Zelenskyy recalled. "I went back to our Ministry of Defense, and they said that maybe it was so."
While stopping short of directly accusing Fedorov of deception, Zelenskyy indicated that the episode significantly eroded trust within his administration.
Budget Shortfalls and Patriot Missile Deficits
Beyond political infighting, Zelenskyy outlined severe operational challenges facing Ukraine's military apparatus. He revealed that front-loaded spending earlier in the year has left the Defence Ministry facing a staggering $27 billion budget shortfall.
Concurrently, Ukraine is grappling with a dwindling supply of U.S.-made Patriot air-defence interceptors just as Russian ballistic strikes intensify. According to figures disclosed by the president:
2023: Ukraine received 675 Patriot missiles.
2025: Deliveries fell to 364 missiles.
2026 Expectation: Ukraine expects just 264 missiles.
With Ukraine seeking at least 300 additional Patriots to safeguard energy infrastructure ahead of winter, Western manufacturing constraints have created a dangerous deficit. Zelenskyy warned that Russia could expand its ballistic missile production capacity to 1,300 units annually, up from the current 600.
Frontline Progress Amid Capital Turmoil
Despite political and logistical strain, Zelenskyy struck an optimistic tone regarding battlefield maneuvers. Ukrainian forces have successfully liberated almost the entire Dnipropetrovsk region, leaving only about 10 square kilometers (4 square miles) under Russian occupation.
He projected that Ukrainian counter-offensives would achieve territorial parity by the end of the year, balancing the 990 square kilometers seized by Russian forces since January against roughly 820 square kilometers reclaimed by Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also pushed back against hostile rhetoric aimed at top military leaders, defending General Oleksandr Syrskyi and current Defence Minister Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara amid activist calls for their resignation.
"You can't treat the military like this and tolerate it," Zelenskyy stated, "especially when it was the military that made it possible for any peaceful protests to take place in the Ukrainian capital at all."
