Protests demanding the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the position of Minister of Defense have continued for a second consecutive week. Meanwhile, political and journalistic circles are actively discussing the possible reasons behind his dismissal.
A few days ago, Ukrainska Pravda published an article citing anonymous sources that may shed light on the situation.
According to one of UP’s sources in the defense sector, one of the reasons for the conflict may have been the situation surrounding Fire Point. The source claims that the company, which has been linked to Tymur Mindich, had expected to receive around 80% of the state procurement contracts for long-range drones, but under Fedorov’s tenure ultimately received only 25%.
“Of course, Shtilerman (the company’s owner and founder – UP) could have gone to complain to the President,” the source told Ukrainska Pravda.
We have repeatedly written about the alleged connection between Tymur Mindich and Fire Point. If this information is accurate, it is reasonable to assume that Mindich may have been interested in advancing the company’s interests at the highest political level.
Previously, Denys Shtilerman publicly denied having any ties to Tymur Mindich. However, in a recent interview, he spoke about asking Mindich for assistance. According to the Fire Point co-owner, in the spring of 2024, while Mindich was considering investing in the company, he also helped Fire Point gain access to classified archives containing Soviet-era missile technology blueprints. Shtilerman himself stated that he had asked Mindich to facilitate access to these archival materials.
Thus, despite denying any corporate relationship, Shtilerman himself confirms that there was communication and cooperation between him, Fire Point, and Mindich on matters important to the company’s development. This is why Mindich’s name continues to appear in investigative reports concerning Fire Point.
Following the publication of the Ukrainska Pravda article, Denys Shtilerman reacted emotionally. In particular, he stated:
“When something goes wrong, I’m apparently the one to blame. It seems that in the ‘Tkach–Kyiv Independent family business,’ I’ll soon be held responsible for everything happening in the world, including meteorites and whatever else. It would all be funny if not for one thing. For reasons unknown to me, Ukrainska Pravda is considered a reputable publication. And as soon as an article like this appears, embassies automatically put cooperation with the organization mentioned in the publication on hold. That hold lasts at least a month while compliance procedures are carried out.”
If the conflict did indeed arise because Fire Point’s share of government contracts was reduced, the situation paints an interesting picture: a minister who attempted to reduce the concentration of defense contracts in the hands of a single company may have been removed precisely because he did so.
Whether this is actually the case remains unconfirmed. However, Ukrainska Pravda‘s investigation has undoubtedly raised new questions about the circumstances surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal.