Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's defense minister, attends a plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 14, 2026. (Andrii Nesterenko / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)The prospect of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov being replaced after just six months in office has prompted a largely critical reaction from lawmakers, public figures, and Kyiv residents, while opposition lawmakers and political analysts have suggested that tensions with parliament and President Volodymyr Zelensky may be driving his possible removal. Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko's unexpected resignation has paved the way for a broader cabinet reshuffle, and Fedorov could be among those affected by the overhaul, a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. If removed, he would become the second consecutive defense minister to leave the post after about six months, following his predecessor, Denys Shmyhal."If the same thing happens again with Mykhailo Fedorov, it won't be funny at all," lawmaker Inna Sovsun said on Facebook."All key priorities will be scrapped, and the military will once again be told: 'Forget everything Fedorov offered you. Now the new minister will get up to speed and propose new, fair solutions for the military. This time, for sure,'" Sovsun added.Fedorov had the second-highest net trust rating among political figures included in a June poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, with 50% of respondents saying they trusted him and 21% saying they did not. During his short term, he has introduced a series of changes, including a controversial military reform, new systems to measure unit effectiveness, such as Mission Control, and a private air defense initiative, among other innovations.The minister also played a key role in negotiations that led to the Russian army losing access to Starlink, helping Ukrainian forces regain the initiative on the battlefield.