Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said he will serve as an advisor on defense innovations to the Italian government, but will remain based in Ukraine.
Fedorov stated he accepted the role following an August 28 meeting abroad with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. Italy is a founding member of the NATO military alliance and has provided military assistance to Ukraine. The two officials discussed drones, autonomous systems, air defense and the development of a defense technology ecosystem during their talks.
A press office for Fedorov told Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty that the former cabinet official will not relocate to Rome. The team will stay in Ukraine, where Fedorov will focus primarily on his own domestic projects, according to the statement. The consultancy arrangement with the Italian defense minister will operate on a freelance basis, his representatives clarified.
Modern warfare technology
Fedorov expressed gratitude to Crosetto for his personal support and the offer to work together, praising their strategic partnership. He added that he will help Italy adapt to new global security challenges, improve its defense sector and develop modern warfare technology.
Ukraine and his team possess a unique background in technological warfare, Fedorov said. He noted that he will continue working on projects in Ukraine that strengthen national defense and attract international resources.
The future of defense belongs to nations that can quickly test and scale new solutions by combining strong manufacturing with new technology, Fedorov said. He suggested the Ukrainian experience could form the foundation of a new defense model across Europe.
Fedorov remains on an international trip and plans to hold further meetings with partners regarding new projects, defense technology and digitalization. He did not specify which other countries he intends to visit.
Government reboot and protests
Fedorov headed the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense until July 2026. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered a government reboot that month, assigning Yevheniy Khmara to serve as acting defense minister. The Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, subsequently voted to officially appoint Khmara to the position.
The departure of Fedorov triggered large public protests in the capital city of Kyiv and other urban centers across Ukraine.
Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty correspondents estimated that several thousand people joined a march in Kyiv on July 31, 2026. The demonstrators demanded reforms in the defense sector and called for the government to return Fedorov to his post.
Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a veteran, civil activist and former combat medic with the Da Vinci Wolves battalion, attended the march. The Da Vinci Wolves is a prominent volunteer military unit that has fought alongside the Ukrainian armed forces. Koziatynskyi told reporters that the participants expected a dialogue with the authorities.
The demand to reinstate Fedorov remains active, Koziatynskyi said, adding that the call is less about Fedorov as a figurehead and more about using him as a mechanism to achieve structural reform and a broader vision.
Demonstrators carried Ukrainian flags and banners as they marched through the capital. Ralliers carried signs that read Fedorov for the Ministry of Defense, while another stated that the government had not heard them.
Participants held a minute of silence during the march to honor those killed in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
