Ex-minister Fedorov to help Italy adapt defence sector to lessons from Ukraine war

Former Ukrainian defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has accepted an offer to advise Italian defence Minister Guido Crosetto on defence innovation, taking on a new international role while maintaining his work on defence projects in Ukraine.

Fedorov confirmed the appointment in a Facebook post on August 28 following a meeting with Crosetto.

“I thanked Guido for his personal support and offer to become his adviser on defence innovations,” Fedorov wrote. “In this role, I will help Italy develop modern warfare technologies, improve the defence sector and adapt to new security challenges in the world.”

A member of Fedorov’s team told the Politico news magazine that the former minister, who was removed from his position during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s latest cabinet reshuffle, will combine the advisory role with his primary focus on establishing a defence investment fund in Ukraine.

Fedorov stressed that he is not relocating to Italy permanently. “My main focus remains unchanged,” he wrote, adding that he would continue working in Ukraine on projects aimed at strengthening the country’s defence capabilities and attracting international resources.

Crosetto first offered Fedorov the position in July, saying he called the Ukrainian official the day after his dismissal and asked him: “When would you like to come to Rome to work with me as an adviser?”

The Italian defence minister praised Fedorov as an innovator who had “completely changed the rules of the game on the battlefield,” highlighting the Ukrainian official’s experience in developing and deploying new technologies during Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Fedorov was dismissed in mid-July after roughly six months as head of Ukraine’s defence Ministry, amid tensions with the country’s military leadership and disagreements over defence policy. His removal triggered rare wartime protests across Ukraine with people expressing their support for Fedorov, who many perceive as pushing back against corrupt schemes inside the government.

The reshuffling also intensified disagreements within Ukraine’s political leadership. Since leaving the government, Fedorov has become an increasingly vocal critic of the authorities and earlier this month called for elections despite Russia’s ongoing attacks, arguing that Ukrainians “cannot endlessly live” without understanding how major decisions are made.

Zelenskyy, who has faced increasingly sharp criticism from Fedorov since his dismissal, has rejected the proposal, warning that holding elections during wartime could “destroy” the country. The latest controversy surrounding the former minister following his dismissal came this week, when news emerged that Ukraine's parliament (Verkhovna Rada) has summoned Fedorov to testify about an investigation into a corruption scheme in the energy sector. 

By Nazrin Sadigova