MELITOPOL, August 19. /TASS/. The Verkhovna Rada’s appointment of Yevgeny Khmara as Ukraine’s defense minister could prompt Mikhail Fyodorov, a pro-Western figure, to stage a coup, expert Alexander Pataman told TASS.

"The Verkhovna Rada has, after all, approved Khmara’s candidacy, as proposed by [Vladimir] Zelenskyy; that is, the likelihood that Fyodorov will organize a real Maidan against the current regime with Western funding is enormous. At the same time, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (NABU) suspicions will escalate into actual charges, and the investigation, which has never reached Zelensky himself, may ultimately lead not only to him," he noted.

The expert pointed out that it was no coincidence that the Western-controlled NABU emerged precisely at the time of controversial appointments to key posts in the country. While the position of foreign minister has not yet sparked any particular conflicts, the defense minister’s seat has become a direct battleground where the interests of many forces, including Western ones, converge.

Earlier, the former defense minister recorded a video message in which he spoke of a systemic crisis of governance and the need to hold elections in Ukraine. In the ten-minute video posted on his YouTube channel, Fyodorov criticized the current government, particularly for corruption. The message was released after Zelensky submitted a proposal to the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday to appoint Khmara as defense minister, even though protesters in Ukrainian cities holding demonstrations since July 16 demanding Fyodorov's reinstatement to the position.

On July 14, Fyodorov was removed from his post as defense minister. Zelensky attributed this to a conflict between Fyodorov and top Ukrainian military commander Alexander Syrsky. However, Ukrainian politicians and media outlets have suggested that Zelensky dismissed Fyodorov in order to eliminate a political rival who is supported by liberal Western circles.