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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
"Usually I don't meet with people four times to offer them a job... Mykhailo refused all four offers.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a "very serious conflict" arose between former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.
This was reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The president emphasized that "there cannot be a conflict at that level between leaders."
"There is one or another operation on the battlefield – it is primarily handled by the military. Logistics and support are handled by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. If someone steps into another's area of responsibility, it will inevitably lead to a conflict. And a conflict happened – and a very serious one," Zelensky said.
He also recalled that at the start of Fedorov's tenure as minister they had an agreement on the distribution of powers.
The president described a presentation about creating a 'ministry of war,' under which the Chief of the General Staff would effectively be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. Zelensky urged abandoning that idea, but later, he said, Fedorov "tried to implement it by other means," and Syrskyi "began to respond to one bureaucracy with another bureaucracy."
Zelensky also said that on the eve of the personnel changes he had meetings with Fedorov.
"We met with Mykhailo before my meeting with parliamentarians, and he told me: 'Well, then be honest and dismiss two.' I told him that that is what would happen, but in order, " the president said.
According to him, Fedorov and Syrskyi "virtually stopped communicating directly" and discussed issues only during meetings in his office. Zelensky said he tried to give them the chance to resolve their differences themselves and two weeks before making the personnel decision he suggested they meet and come to an agreement, but that did not happen.
"Usually I don't meet with people four times to offer them a job... Mykhailo refused all four offers. Well, that's his choice," Zelensky said.
Dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov
In July President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly announced plans to renew the government. Instead of Yuliia Svyrydenko, the Cabinet was headed by Serhii Koretskyi, who had led Naftogaz. The president said he is the best prepared for the prime minister's post in the context of preparing for a very difficult winter. Some ministers kept their posts in the new government, but not Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. After seven months on the job, the president decided not to submit his candidacy for reappointment.
Zelensky held several conversations with Fedorov. The president also held numerous consultations with brigade commanders and force commanders. Since 16 July, protests have continued in Ukrainian cities demanding Fedorov's return to the Ministry of Defense.
The president did not communicate an exact reason for replacing the head of the ministry, but said there was a conflict between the Ministry of Defense and the army leadership that prevented them from establishing cooperation. Fedorov himself accused Syrskyi of issuing an ultimatum demanding his dismissal. The ex-minister said that instead he proposed to the president replacing the Commander-in-Chief and the Chief of the General Staff.
Also, commenting on the replacement of the commander-in-chief and Fedorov's dismissal, the president said he needed unanimity between the military leadership and the Ministry of Defense, because Ukraine faces challenges including a lack of anti-ballistic capability and the possible new mobilization by the invaders.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Зеленський розповів про "дуже серйозний конфлікт" Федорова і Сирського". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: LB.ua.
