Today, Ukrainian society is increasingly interested in the issue of internal restructuring of approaches, including in the most important sector – the defense sector. After all, victory in the war requires not only good news from the front, but also a clear understanding of how the defense system itself is transforming from within, how technological, fast and effective it is according to analytical data.
In his new interview for the PRESSING channel , Mykhailo Fedorov spoke in detail about the challenges the old system had to deal with upon assuming the position of Minister of Defense and how he managed to quickly reboot the Ministry. A lie detector for every suspicious employee, a tender system for boils, rewarding initiative and other details about where the Ukrainian military machine is heading and why the next stage of the war will be a triumph of technology.
We have gathered the most important insights from this conversation and analyzed how innovation and a tough anti-corruption policy with instant punishment in the form of dismissal and transfer to law enforcement agencies bring our victory closer.
“Resort season” in Crimea exclusively for drones
One of the hottest topics of conversation was the situation on the temporarily occupied peninsula, which, according to Fedorov, is turning into an “island,” and the further strategy of the Ukrainian Defense Forces regarding Crimea involves a complete cut-off of logistics and total control of this territory by drones. The development of drone technology through a free economic market and a tender system is an absolutely clear and uncompromisingly winning model that has already begun to help in this. As for equipment, we began to purchase more technologically equipped equipment on a tender basis (for example, with a separate place for electronic warfare systems) for less money than similar previous batches at fixed high prices.
- The fate of Crimea, which is turning into an island, can be decided precisely by cutting off the enemy’s logistics (we are already seeing this with strikes on bridges in Chongar and other places), in addition, the enemy’s air defense and other means of ensuring the security of the peninsula are being systematically destroyed, and supply routes, with the intensification of attacks, are increasingly likely to no longer operate at the previous pace.
- A turning point in the war due to drones. Instead of Russian tourists in Crimea, the main “guests” of the peninsula will now be Ukrainian drones, which with their mid-range strikes simply paralyze life on the peninsula. Systematic strikes on Russian military facilities in Crimea are not just random acts of intimidation, but the systematic destruction of the enemy’s military potential and preparation for larger-scale operations in the future.
A clear signal, as the new Minister of Defense voices in an interview, as a long-term strategy: Ukraine is not going to slow down, but on the contrary, aims to constantly scale up and reach a new level through constant analytics (what works and what doesn’t), which in the future will make it possible to destroy up to 50 thousand occupied people and effectively demilitarize the occupied territories from enemy manpower.
Rebooting the Ministry of Defense: How the “old school of schemes and corruption” is breaking down
A huge block of interviews was devoted to the internal kitchen of the Ministry of Defense, where, according to Fedorov, large defense companies had “their own people” in the Ministry of Defense system who “leaked” information from closed meetings, which allowed interested private defense companies to see weaknesses and influence mechanisms to increase their own profits.
Many of the suspicious individuals in the Ministry of Defense were sent to take lie detector tests (those who refused were immediately fired), some of whom were taken by the minister himself, doing what he calls “homework” after the main working moments in office. The rest were identified as part of internal investigations, after which they were also fired or even handed over to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
Therefore, immediately after his appointment, Minister Fedorov himself gathered all the leaders and those responsible for the personnel situation in the Ministry of Defense and announced that he would make every effort to ensure that those who indulge in any corruption were properly punished.
“ Anyone who sticks their nose into corruption stories… I will personally do everything to make sure you are out,” Defense Minister Fedorov said sternly at a meeting with the Ministry of Defense staff after his appointment.
Fedorov also notes that although the level of challenges and responsibility here is incomparably higher than in any other department, he noticed how with the arrival of the new team, the archaic system began to radically change, analyzing statistics, counting conversions, following a general established strategy.
From manual management to sustainable institutions
The main goal of the transformation is not simply to turn the Defense Ministry from a bureaucratic apparatus into a modern institution capable of quickly generating solutions (policies), but also to realize its potential by constantly scaling up from previous indicators, using what the enemy cannot have and exercising effective control over how and what works.
“We are not taking a step back to the right or left. We are building a system that allows us to realize our vision,” Fedorov emphasizes.
What has already been done and what is being done now:
- Focus on strategy: Transition from “fighting fires” to long-term planning and a clearly defined result, namely: our own large-scale production, our own missiles, drones, interceptors, private air defense, and so on.
- Solving basic problems with mobilization and terms of service: It has long been clear that mobilization will be changed. However, the minister says that this cannot be started without closing the issue of service, when it is unknown how, how long and where a mobilized person will serve and how his maximum efficiency with a decent salary will be ensured.
The conflict between the “old” and “new” schools of governance is inevitable, but necessary for the country’s survival.
Debunking the myth: Why doesn’t Fedorov “like” tanks and artillery?
For a long time, rumors have been circulating among the military and experts that the new team that came with Fedorov from the Ministry of Digital Affairs to the Ministry of Defense is focusing exclusively on drones, completely ignoring classic heavy equipment.
Fedorov clearly distinguished between these fears and the real reality on the battlefield. The question is not to abandon artillery, but to make it effective in the realities of modern technological warfare.
There is also a new procurement strategy for artillery:
- Refusal of short-range artillery. Ukraine has completely stopped purchasing artillery systems with a short range of destruction. After all, due to changes in the war itself (the transition to a war of infiltration, drones, infiltration by small groups) in modern technological conditions, bringing a gun to fire at 14–15 kilometers is an extremely complex and risky separate operation that often does not bring the desired result. Therefore, the effectiveness of its use has been reviewed and priorities have been changed.
- The focus is now on a range of 30-40+ km. All efforts are now focused solely on long-range 155 mm artillery. Only such a range (distance) allows you to safely and effectively destroy enemy positions and stop their offensives.
Asymmetric warfare: how technology defeats the masses
Even at the first Ramstein, according to the minister, after another shelling of Kyiv and a severe and cold winter without electricity, the mood of the partners was pessimistic (some even persuaded Ukraine to negotiate and accept the terms of surrender in fact), but the Ukrainian delegation even then came with amazing figures and prospects, because it understood: defeating Russia is possible if we start with changing priorities and methods. Ukraine’s answer is asymmetric war .
Three keys to turning the tide in war and seizing the initiative:
- Innovation cycles. Ukraine must always be one step ahead in each technological cycle, this is a direct task that is part of the strategy (from the development of new electronic warfare to the creation of autonomous drones with artificial intelligence).
- The value of life. Take care of every soldier, count every loss in real time, analyze the causes and consequences in the future – The main priority is to analyze errors and restructure to more effective models of attracting up to 50% of front-line personnel from foreigners who are already attracted by private recruiting companies from abroad for additional remuneration.
- Non-standard solutions. Finding ways that are “not on the surface.” Technologies (such as drones and high-precision artillery). A vivid example is the story of the Starlink shutdown for the Russians, which radically changed the situation on certain sections of the front.
Conclusion
The first months of the new team’s work in the defense system have shown: there is no way back. Destroying corruption schemes, introducing innovations and transitioning to high-tech warfare is the only recipe for victory. Instead of Soviet bureaucracy, Ukraine is building a digital, flexible and deadly military machine for the enemy. Creating added value for ourselves and our products, we have the “cards” to receive more advantages, technologies and funds from partners, thus building the strongest army in Europe and the world.
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