Hundreds protest in Kyiv after Zelensky dismisses defence minister

Kyiv’s deputy prime minister for digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, has been widely credited with overhauling Ukraine’s defence procurement system and curbing entrenched corruption. The reforms, launched in early 2022 as the country faced an unprecedented military escalation, replaced a fragmented, paper‑based process with a centralized, digital platform that tracks every contract from tender to delivery.

The e‑procurement system, developed under Fedorov’s supervision, introduced real‑time transparency, automated verification of supplier credentials and mandatory public disclosure of contract terms. According to the Ministry of Defence, the new framework has cut average procurement timelines by 40 percent and generated savings estimated at $300 million in the first year, while independent auditors reported a 25 percent drop in irregularities linked to kickbacks and inflated invoices. Parallel anti‑corruption measures, including stricter vetting of contractors and the establishment of a whistle‑blower hotline, have been credited with deterring illicit practices that previously plagued the arms supply chain.

Analysts say the reforms have strengthened Ukraine’s capacity to equip its forces swiftly and responsibly, reinforcing the broader effort to modernise state institutions amid ongoing conflict. Fedorov’s initiatives are now being examined as a model for procurement reforms in other post‑Soviet states seeking to improve transparency and efficiency in defence spending.