Fedorov claims yearlong campaign against him
Fedorov announced an information campaign against him and mentioned Hetmantsev (Photo: Screenshot from the video)
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said he has been the target of a long-running coordinated media campaign against him, alleging that lawmaker Danylo Hetmantsev and the Trukha Telegram channel were involved on July 16.
According to Fedorov, after the Telegram channel Trukha changed ownership, it began regularly publishing content targeting him, including posts linking him to issues involving Ukraine's Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCRCs).
"Why did Trukha start writing about the TCRCs and deliberately tie me to every TCRC-related story? Who bought Trukha? Who writes Hetmantsev's talking points? Hetmantsev spent a year going after me. Someone invested a year in this," Fedorov said.
He also questioned whether individuals or interest groups could use major media platforms to discredit the defense minister during wartime.
"Who is lobbying for the gambling business? And can a person or a group of people buy one of the country's largest media outlets and start attacking the defense minister during a full-scale war? These are questions that are not discussed publicly, but we need to ask who is behind it," Fedorov added.
On July 14, Artem Bronzhukov, deputy director of the Polityka analytical center, said on Radio NV that Verkhovna Rada Finance Committee Chairman Danylo Hetmantsev had been waging a public campaign against Fedorov. According to Bronzhukov, Hetmantsev had become one of Fedorov's leading critics within the government.
Government reshuffle
On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Until a new prime minister and Cabinet are appointed, Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal will serve as acting head of government.
Later, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would nominate Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to replace Fedorov as defense minister.
The Verkhovna Rada is expected to vote on several ministerial appointments in Serhii Koretskyi's new government on July 16. The reshuffle is expected to include replacing Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov with Klymenko. Rallies in support of Fedorov are being held in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv.
According to a Financial Times journalist, Zelenskyy's nominee to replace Fedorov currently lacks sufficient support in parliament. Sources told the newspaper that some lawmakers are reluctant to back another controversial personnel decision by the government.
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