Two Senior Officers Resign Following Defense Minister’s Dismissal

Following the dismissal of Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov and subsequent protests calling on the government to reinstate him, two prominent officers of Ukraine’s Defense Forces have announced their resignations.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged disagreements between Fedorov and General Syrskyi, saying that problems on the battlefield, within brigades, and with mobilization remain unresolved.

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One of the officers is Andriy Onistrat, a senior officer of the Central Department of Innovation Activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and founder of the UAV battalion of the 68th Airmobile Brigade “Shershni Dovbusha.” He submitted his resignation report after being transferred to administrative duties in the 17th Army Corps.

“In the evening, my commander called and told me an order had come through transferring me to the 17th Corps — as the chief paperwork carrier. Well, I’m submitting my resignation,” Onistrat said, adding that he believes the transfer is connected to his social media posts in support of Fedorov.

The other officer is Colonel Pavlo Yelizarov, Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Yelizarov called Fedorov’s removal “a great evil for the country’s defense capability” and explicitly named the dismissal as the reason for his resignation. He is the founder of the Lasar’s Group drone unit, considered one of the most effective combat formations in destroying Russian equipment and drones.