Russian military commentators and pro-war figures have openly celebrated the dismissal of Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, portraying his removal as a strategic mistake that could weaken Kyiv’s technological advantage on the battlefield. A Russian commentator argued that Fedorov’s emphasis on unmanned systems threatened Moscow by reducing the importance of Russia’s main conventional advantage – its larger pool of manpower.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Another pro-war voice described the dismissal as a “gift” to Russia, acknowledging that Fedorov had rapidly introduced technologies that complicated Russian military operations. “If they remove Fedorov from the Defense Ministry, I consider that a plus for us,” the speaker stated, expressing hope that Ukraine’s defense procurement system would return to the corruption and bureaucratic dysfunction that had previously weakened it. The reaction from Russian pro-war circles underscored the military significance they attached to Fedorov’s technology-focused approach. Zelensky names Khmara acting defense minister President Volodymyr Zelensky named Major General Yevhenii Khmara as Ukraine’s acting defense minister on Thursday, following Fedorov’s high-profile dismissal and an unprecedented public confrontation within the country’s wartime leadership. Khmara moves to the post after serving as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) since January. He previously commanded the agency’s elite Alpha Special Operations Center and has extensive experience in technological combat and long-range operations.