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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine, which Mykhailo Fedorov previously held, does not impose limits on his ability to work as an adviser to foreign governments. This was reported to Suspilne by Fedorov’s press service; the comment was published 29 in August. Earlier it became known that Fedorov agreed to the proposal of Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto to become his innovation adviser.
"This does not entail disclosure of state secrets or transfer of special information necessary for the development, production, or use of military-purpose products, as well as other technical documentation or restricted information," the press service stated.
Engaging former high-ranking officials as experts and advisers to the governments of other states in the team of the former minister was called a common international practice. As an example, they cited former Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who became advisers on economic affairs to the President of Ukraine. Also mentioned was former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who after stepping down engages in international consulting and expert activity, particularly in the field of international policy, security, and Ukraine support.
Fedorov’s press service emphasized that the role of an adviser on defense innovations primarily involves sharing own managerial and expert experience in the realm of technological warfare accumulated during the years of full-scale invasion. And such cooperation is important for Ukraine, as it deepens cooperation with NATO countries, and Fedorov plans dozens more international collaboration projects.
"But at the same time, Mykhailo Fedorov will continue to live and work in Ukraine. His main focus remains here—helping Ukraine. International work will allow attracting more attention, partners, and investments to new projects," the press service assured.
The press service’s comment appeared amid questions on social networks about state secrets to which he had access while serving as defense minister. This was raised, in particular, by Oleksiy Honcharenko, a deputy from European Solidarity.
In his post, he wrote that the law "On State Control over international transfers of defense-related goods and dual-use items" regulates not only products but also technical assistance, briefings, consultations, training, transfer of technologies and know-how. The MP noted that Ukrainian instructors who work abroad in training programs do so through the state and obtain all the papers needed for that, as well as permission for what can be said and what cannot. After this, Honcharenko questioned the existence of such a permit document for Fedorov.
"Of course, I trust Mykhailo and I am sending a request to State Export Control: whether the appropriate permit was issued to citizen Fedorov. But something tells me... that it was not," Honcharenko added.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Пресслужба Федорова прокоментувала його роботу радником іноземних урядів та доступ до держтаємниці". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Gordon.
