Zelensky explains Fedorov’s dismissal by failure of TCC reform and fears of Russian mobilization

At a meeting with the parliamentary faction of “Servant of the People,” Volodymyr Zelensky named the reason for the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov — the failure of the reform of the territorial recruitment centers.

This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources.

According to the publication’s sources, Zelensky stated that Fedorov had not carried out the mobilization reform he had promised. The new Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, in the president’s view, will be able to “restore order” in the TCC system.

Zelensky cited the possible announcement of a general mobilization by Russia as the key argument for the urgency of the reform. One of the faction’s deputies relayed the president’s words to journalists:

“Zelensky said that if on September 23 (after the parliamentary elections in Russia. — Ed.) Vladimir Putin announces a general mobilization, then no one will be in the mood for jokes or digital reforms. The mobilization issue needs to be sorted out before that,” — one of the “Servant of the People” deputies conveyed the president’s words.

In addition to the failure of the reform, Zelensky cited an irresolvable conflict between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky. The existence of this conflict had already been reported the day before by member of parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak. The publication quotes the president’s words describing the essence of the disagreements:

“They live in two completely different worlds. Misha wants to digitize everything, to build a system around technology. The military, meanwhile, want to simply be heard. They ask for one category of weapons to be procured, and he refuses and funds other areas. They have simply stopped hearing each other. It reached the point of absurdity. Syrsky would come and say: ‘Fedorov isn’t allocating anything for specific operations.’ Then Fedorov would come and reply: ‘We’ve allocated everything, it’s just being used incorrectly — in the wrong way and in the wrong place.’ And so it went, round and round.”

Meanwhile, calls for rallies against Fedorov’s dismissal are already being heard on social media. He is supported, according to the publication, by circles close to NABU, SAP, European structures, and the U.S. Democratic Party.