In a bold move that cements Ukraine’s pivot toward a “technological war,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Mykhailo Fedorov, the visionary Minister of Digital Transformation, will assume the role of Minister of Defense. The appointment, confirmed late Friday, is the second major leadership change in 24 hours, following the elevation of intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to Head of the Presidential Office.
“The current head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, will become the Minister of Defense,” Zelenskyy stated in his nightly address. The President emphasized that the modern battlefield requires a shift from traditional logistics to agile, data-driven warfare—a domain where Fedorov has no equal.
Fedorov, 34, is widely credited with revolutionizing Ukraine’s state services through the Diia app and, more critically, for architecting the “Army of Drones” initiative. His tenure as Digital Minister saw the rapid procurement of thousands of UAVs, the integration of AI into targeting systems, and the creation of the Brave1 defense-tech cluster. By placing him at the helm of the Ministry of Defense, Zelenskyy is signaling that the future of the Ukrainian armed forces lies in automation, electronic warfare, and precision rather than sheer mass.
The reshuffle sees Fedorov replacing Denys Shmyhal, who had held the defense portfolio since July 2025. Sources in the Presidential Office suggest that while Shmyhal successfully stabilized supply chains, the stalemate on the front lines demanded a leader capable of “asymmetric innovation.” Fedorov’s mandate is clear: scale the production of domestic long-range missiles, digitize the cumbersome military bureaucracy, and integrate real-time intelligence directly into squad-level operations.
“This is the start of the ‘Smart War’ era,” noted political analyst Petro Burkovsky. “Fedorov is not a general, but he is a manager of efficiency. With Budanov running the strategy from the President’s side and Fedorov handling the tools, Ukraine is building a war cabinet designed for the 21st century.”
Fedorov’s appointment has been welcomed by the country’s burgeoning defense-tech sector, which views him as an ally against red tape. However, challenges remain. He inherits a ministry still grappling with the immense logistical weight of a high-intensity war. His success will depend on whether he can apply the agility of a startup to the mammoth structure of the Ukrainian military machine.
