By replacing defense minister, Zelensky removes competitor — Russian envoy

MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky's dismissal of Mikhail Fyodorov from the post of defense minister is the removal of a political rival following a signal from Western globalists, Rodion Miroshnik, the ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry for crimes of the Kiev regime, said on the air of the Solovyov Live TV channel.

The diplomat noted that Zelensky "felt stronger than a year ago," and "a new epic of a government reset began in the clash of control over financial flows." According to Miroshnik, the main reason for this is Zelensky's "outspoken competitor," Fyodorov, who "came in the wake of the cardboard Maidan last year as a man who is primarily backed by globalists."

The globalists include US Democrats, European globalists, and high-tech companies such as Palantir and Nvidia, all of whom "spent large international budgets through Fyodorov."

"Fyodorov redirected the money a little in the other direction, they didn't like it, so a signal was sent to Zelensky to make this reset. So Zelensky removes the political competitor, restarts the government, which will face slightly different tasks. He may even try to hold elections against the background of this government. True, it all is still up in the air, but just in case, it would not hurt to get ready," the diplomat said.

In addition, Zelensky will try to "prink his feathers from the Mindichgate corruption scandal," Miroshnik noted.

However, there are no fewer problems in Ukraine, he noted.

"Fyodorov came in with some kind of protege [in the form of] large Western companies. And now the person who will take over from him will have to fulfill the main task that the West set for Ukrainians, which is mobilization, driving a huge amount of cannon fodder into the trenches," Miroshnik added. The diplomat said that Fyodorov failed the task - "he tried to replace it with a drone war, but apparently it did not suit someone."

On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Sergey Koretsky, who headed Naftogaz, as prime minister with 289 votes for against 226 required.

The day before that Zelensky decided to fire Fyodorov over a disagreement between Fyodorov and Ukrainian generals, including Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky. Rallies against Fyodorov's resignation began on Thursday in many major cities.