Dismissed Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Thursday that he rejected offers made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take a new position, emphasizing that he would only accept a return to the Defense Ministry.

Fedorov, whose dismissal sparked widespread protests and later led to the ouster of Ukraine's army chief, said, 'I will not accept any post other than defense minister.' He added, 'No other position has the necessary powers to combat corruption in military procurement, complete the army's reform, plan and execute unconventional operations against the enemy, and eliminate the culture of lies and impunity within the system.'

Protest organizers called for new actions demanding Fedorov's reinstatement, after Zelenskyy unexpectedly dismissed him just six months after his appointment.

Fedorov (35), who was appointed defense minister in January, was tasked with modernizing and digitizing the army, but he fell into disputes with military leadership that he said opposed his reform plans. After days of protests, Zelenskyy this week dismissed the army's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, and replaced him with Mykhailo Drapatyi, a close ally of Fedorov and a supporter of reforms.

But the Ukrainian president appointed an acting defense minister and refused to reinstate Fedorov, despite the fact that Fedorov is considered one of his closest allies since he took office in 2019. Fedorov earned respect inside and outside the military establishment for his early adoption of drone use, which has become a critical element in the war that has been ongoing for over four and a half years.

He has also repeatedly criticized what he called the Soviet mentality within the army and sought to reform the military institution, which has faced criticism for corruption, lack of equipment, absenteeism, mistreatment of conscripts, and mobilization campaigns.