Fired Ukrainian defense minister says Ukraine is in a "technological war" with Russia
Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Ukrainian defense minister who is widely credited as the architect of the country's modern war-fighting strategy, told CBS News in an exclusive interview that he believes Ukraine is in a "technological war" with Russia.
August 15, 2026 / 10:18 PM EDT / CBS News
"We need to defeat Russia in every technological cycle, and we have to make decisions 24/7," the 35-year-old Fedorov said, noting that while Ukraine is innovating quickly, Russia is doing the same.
Before his ouster last month , Fedorov had helped design Ukraine's strategy seeking to bring an end to the war by turning to drones and robots to beat back a larger adversary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Fedorov in mid-July, citing an irresolvable feud between Fedorov and Zelenskyy's top general, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The move sparked protests from thousands of people across the country.
About a week later, Zelenskyy subsequently removed Syrskyi from his post.