Fedorov's ally declined a new defense ministry position, named presidential advisor on defense technologies
Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, a former advisor to dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, said on 17 July that he had declined an offer to remain in the Defense Ministry but accepted a new role as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisor on defense technologies.
"President Zelensky offered me a position in the new composition of the Defense Ministry, but I declined," Beskrestnov said.
"I am a member of Fedorov's team. I came to the Defense Ministry at his invitation as his personal advisor, and for moral reasons, I cannot stay in the Defense Ministry without Mykhailo."
Beskrestnov said he and Zelensky discussed the growing technological challenges posed by Russia's war during a phone call. "I cannot stand idly by with my knowledge, as only the enemy benefits from that," he said. "The President is giving me the opportunity and authority to strengthen our defense capabilities at the highest level as an Advisor to the President on the development of defense technologies."
He added that he would continue assisting Fedorov whenever possible. "For me, this is not about politics; it is an opportunity to influence technological processes in the defense sector, and now not only within the Armed Forces of Ukraine."
Fedorov was dismissed during a government reshuffle, a move that has sparked protests across Ukraine for a second consecutive day. During his tenure, he said he oversaw efforts to disrupt Russian forces' access to Starlink systems, coordinate long-range strikes on Russian logistics in occupied Crimea, and implement military reforms.
Ukraine hit warehouses in Russia that supplied components for drone production
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian long-range strikes hit key logistics facilities in Russia's Moscow and Tambov oblasts that were used to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment.
"In response to Russian strikes on our civilian infrastructure and on our cities and communities, two major logistics facilities were hit – in Moscow and Tambov oblasts, more than 500 and nearly 700 kilometres from the front line," Zelensky said.
According to the president, the targeted facilities were involved in supplying sanctioned components for the production of drones and navigation systems. He also confirmed strikes on an oil facility, as well as targets in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea, and Russian-occupied Crimea.
The overnight attack reportedly triggered fires at an oil depot and a Wildberries logistics center in the towns of Noginsk and Elektrostal near Moscow, while a separate drone strike caused a fire at a logistics center in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast. Russian authorities said dozens of people were affected by the attacks. Russians estimate Wildberries marketplace losses at tens of billions of roubles after Ukrainian strikes.
Russian online marketplace Wildberries and businesses selling on its platform may have suffered losses exceeding RUB 100 billion (about $1.3 billion) after fires destroyed logistics complexes in Moscow and Tambov oblasts, according to Russian media outlet Vazhnye Istorii.
The outlet based its estimate on the aftermath of a 2024 fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Shushary, where a 105,800-square-meter facility was destroyed. Insurance experts estimated direct losses from that incident at more than RUB 10 billion (about $127 million), while Wildberries later paid RUB 34.9 billion (about $445 million) in compensation to affected sellers. The company said it had settled 99.6% of compensation claims by April 2025, although some merchants said the payouts did not fully cover their losses.
According to Vazhnye Istorii, the Wildberries logistics center in Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, is more than twice the size of the Shushary warehouse, while the facility in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast, covers about 108,000 square meters. The full extent of the damage has not yet been determined. A source close to the company told Russian business outlet The Bell that 10-15% of Wildberries' total warehouse capacity had been affected by the attacks, but said the marketplace's operations are not expected to be completely paralyzed.
Zelensky is considering replacing the commander-in-chief and is still trying to persuade the former PM to become the ambassador to the US
President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering dismissing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi if a suitable successor can be found, the Financial Times reported, citing sources close to the president.
According to the report, Zelensky is expected to meet with senior military commanders this weekend to assess the battlefield situation and interview potential candidates for the military's top post. A senior official in the President's Office told the Financial Times that the president is prepared to replace Syrskyi if he can ensure a smooth transition while maintaining Ukraine's defenses along the 1,200-kilometer front line.
The Financial Times also reported that Zelensky is continuing efforts to persuade former Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to become Ukraine's ambassador to the United States after she reportedly declined the offer earlier this week.
"His top choice remains former prime minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, who was dismissed in this week's cabinet shuffle," the Financial Times quoted one presidential aide as saying. "People close to the president said that he is still trying to convince her to take on the role, which comes at a crucial moment in the war and in the relationship with the Trump administration."