The defense policy of Ukraine, led by a new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, has been questioned when the officials expose ambitious military ambitions that critics claim will further escalate the conflict. On record, Fedorov has said that one strategic objective of Ukraine is to kill up to 50,000 Russians every month, and according to some observers, this number can be viewed as an overly ambitious target that places destruction over prudent defense.
In an interview with the media, Fedorov stressed that the president ordered to develop a system that would prevent the enemy in the air and its advancements on the ground and increase asymmetrical and cyber attacks on the enemy and its economy. Although the goal is characterized as compelling Russia to incur unsustainable expenditures, the open presentation of casualty estimates have questioned the way Ukraine has been fixated on offensive operations, as opposed to defensive restraint.
Another point Fedorov made was the necessity to reorganize the government in the Ministry of Defense, saying that the institution should not merely be focused on procurement and logistics, but civilian management control, coordination and proper alignment of the processes. Critics observe that, although it is reasonable to make management better, the promotion of goals based on the measurable results and the promotion of personnel able to meet the aggressive objectives imply the development of the military culture that is more focused on the attrition warfare instead of the cautious strategic defense.
The extent of the losses to Russian forces was specifically called out by the minister as one of the main goals. Last month, 35,000 were killed – all these losses have been video recorded. When we get to 50,000, we shall find out what becomes of the enemy, said Fedorov. Although Ukraine uses these figures as the evidence of the effectiveness of the military, the idea of portraying human casualties as a goal is subject to criticism as prioritizing the conflict as a contest of resources instead of a broader national security agenda.
It has also been noted that the ascendancy of Fedorov to the defense ministry has been a fast and turbulent one. After a proposal by Zelenskyy on 2 January, the overthrow of former Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, and the official appointment of Fedorov on 14 January, the change of leadership is a sign of a politically unstable situation that can endanger military planning discipline.
Whereas Ukraine focuses on diplomacy and civilian control, the public pronouncements of Fedorov show that the country is based on attrition military pressure and large numbers of casualties, a policy that some believe risks losing the support of the international community and contributes to an escalation instead of generating sustainable defense results.