Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly detailed a rift with dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, stating he believes some of the minister's actions were misguided.
Zelenskyy also referenced issues concerning defense spending and noted that inaccurate information from the Defense Ministry contributed to an awkward exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Starlink usage in Russia.
The president disclosed data indicating Ukraine faces a growing shortage of Patriot air-defense missiles necessary to counter Russian ballistic attacks, as deliveries from Western allies have decreased over the last three years despite intensifying Russian missile strikes.
However, Zelenskyy highlighted battlefield successes, reporting that Ukrainian forces have nearly fully reclaimed the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only about 10 square kilometers remaining under Russian control.
These remarks were made during a two-hour off-the-record meeting with reporters on Saturday, and a transcript was released publicly on Sunday.
His comments covered various topics, including recent battlefield developments, efforts against Russian ballistic attacks, the status of peace negotiations, Ukraine's budgetary challenges, and the political situation surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal.
“I really had and still have a very positive attitude toward Mykhailo. We have been through a lot together. But I believe that he himself goes, or is pushed, into the wrong things,” Zelenskyy stated.
Fedorov, who was recognized for modernizing Ukraine's armed forces and accelerating its adoption of technology and drone warfare, was dismissed last month after reportedly disagreeing with the nation’s top military commander. His removal prompted weeks of mass protests that ultimately failed to reverse the decision. Fedorov subsequently called for elections in a video address.
Zelenskyy mentioned offering Fedorov four different options to remain in government, all of which Fedorov rejected.
Inaccurate Information Led to Uncomfortable White House Situation
Zelenskyy appeared to connect Fedorov to an uncomfortable incident involving Starlink and Elon Musk. He explained that earlier this year, the Defense Ministry informed him that SpaceX had agreed to permit Ukraine to use Starlink over Russian territory for deep strike operations, pending political approval.
Acting on this information, Zelenskyy said he raised the matter directly with U.S. President Donald Trump, informing him that Musk had confirmed the proposed usage. Zelenskyy added that both sides subsequently sought Musk’s confirmation and discussed project financing.
However, in a later meeting, Zelenskyy reported that Trump told him Musk had rejected the proposal and accused him of misleading the U.S. president. According to Zelenskyy, Musk viewed the move as a dangerous escalation.
“He said that I had supposedly deceived him because Musk had denied Ukraine the use of Starlink on Russian territory. I went back to our Ministry of Defense and they said that maybe it was so,” he recounted.
Zelenskyy did not explicitly accuse Fedorov of lying, stating this episode contributed to "some of the steps."
Zelenskyy also criticized protesters for vilifying former army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom he dismissed, and current Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara, asserting they had gone too far.
“Maybe someone doesn’t like Syrskyi for one reason or another. But the slogans ‘Syrskyi is the devil, Khmara is the devil,’” he said. “Listen, this is too much. Do you understand? In principle, you can’t treat the military like this and tolerate it, especially when it was the military that made it possible for any peaceful protests to take place in the Ukrainian capital at all.”
Pressure on Defense Budget Amid Military Successes
The president also detailed severe financial strain on Ukraine's defense efforts. He stated the Defense Ministry faced a $27 billion budget shortfall after spending decisions earlier in the year advanced funds originally slated for the second half of 2026.
Regarding an anti-corruption probe that led to the firing of one of his senior officials this week, Zelenskyy asserted that anti-corruption investigators do not believe he was involved. The investigators had named a deputy head of the presidential office among those suspected in a money-laundering case.
“The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me. They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that. And this is important to me,” he said.
On the battlefield, Zelenskyy expressed optimism, noting Ukraine had almost entirely regained control of the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only about 10 square kilometers and three small villages outside Ukrainian control.
He mentioned another operation underway elsewhere, expecting results by the end of August.
Zelenskyy predicted that by the close of 2026, Ukraine could achieve parity between territory occupied by Russia since the start of the year and territory retaken by Ukrainian forces. He noted Russia had occupied approximately 990 square kilometers since the beginning of the year, while Ukraine had restored control over roughly 820 square kilometers.
The president indicated that Russia’s primary focus remained on the Konstantynivka-Sloviansk-Kramatorsk axis and that Moscow continued to demand Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region as a condition for settlement.
Still Facing Patriot Missile Shortages
Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine was receiving significantly fewer Patriot interceptor missiles even as Russian ballistic attacks increased.
He stated Ukraine received 675 Patriot missiles in 2023, compared to 364 in 2025 and an expected 264 in 2026. Zelenskyy expressed a desire to secure 300 additional Patriot missiles for the upcoming winter, while the Ukrainian Air Force had requested 360.
This shortage is particularly critical because the United States and European partners are facing difficulties expanding production. Zelenskyy said he hoped Ukraine could acquire even 5% or 10% of U.S. reserves and was able to cover the costs.
Zelenskyy noted that Russia could eventually produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles annually, compared with an estimated current capacity of 600.
He also mentioned Ukraine is developing alternatives to Starlink, including a European communications project, as Russia and China advance their own competing systems.
Other Developments
— Debris from a Ukrainian drone struck two industrial facilities, including an Ozon warehouse, in Russia’s Orenburg region, local officials reported Sunday.
Beyond shifting the conflict onto Russian territory via long-range drone strikes on oil facilities causing fuel shortages across Russia, Ukraine has unsettled the Russian public by striking warehouses belonging to online retailers, such as Wildberries and Ozon.
— Local authorities stated that one person was killed and six wounded in Ukrainian drone attacks near Russia’s Belgorod border region on Sunday.