Defense Minister Fedorov has only one advisor with any military experience
Among the assistants and advisors to the newly appointed Defense Minister of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, there is only one person who has real military experience. The composition of the ministry's patronage service and the list of the minister's advisors were provided by the department upon request by the Ukrainian News Agency.
Thus, according to the ministry, Mykhailo Fedorov currently has six advisors, all of whom work on a voluntary basis, that is, without receiving a salary.
The minister's advisors include:
- Serhii Beskrestnov (also known as Flash). Despite the fact that he graduated from the Kyiv Military Institute of Management and Communications in 1997 with a degree in "Radio, Radio Relay, Tropospheric and Space Communications", he is not a military man. In the first months of the war, he participated in the defense of the Kyiv Region with the 3rd Regiment of Special Operations Forces. But since April 2022, he has been consulting and training various military units and other security forces of Ukraine. He is also a regular participant in the Khatakons organized by the Ministry of Defense. Beskrestnov is the only person among Fedorov's advisors who has at least some combat experience.
- Hanna Hvozdiar. Previously, she worked as the director of the Serhii Prytula Charitable Foundation. After that, she held the position of Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries, and in 2024 was appointed Advisor to the Minister of Defense.
- Valeria Ionan. She worked as Fedorov's Deputy for European Integration at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, then was Fedorov's advisor. She was responsible for projects such as the WINWIN national innovation strategy, the launch of the Diia.Osvita platform, support for entrepreneurs through Diia.Business, the implementation of digital services in the regions, etc.
- Valentyn Paniuta. He worked as a co-CEO and brand leader at Fedoriv Agency. Since 2024, he has been a creative director at the United24Media project.
- Serhii Sternenko. Activist, blogger. He was engaged in fundraising for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As noted in Sternenko's dossier, on February 24, 2022, when russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Serhii announced that he had joined the "Honor" unit of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Also in March-April 2022, Sternenko filmed a documentary about how he serves as an artilleryman in the 72nd separate mechanized brigade and defends Kyiv. Also during that period, the activist published many photos in camouflage and with weapons on his social networks. But the information about the service was not confirmed. Moreover, in 2024, the Prymorskyi territorial recruitment and social support center in Odesa imposed a fine on Serhii Sternenko for not appearing for a summons, that is, evasion. Later, Sternenko reported that the military medical commission had declared him unfit for mobilization due to health reasons.
- Giorgi Tshakaya. Another advisor to Fedorov from the previous ministry. In Georgia, Giorgi Tshakaya held the position of Deputy Minister of Economic Development from 2008 to 2011, worked as Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi and headed the country's Tax and Customs Service. Now the media call Tshakaya "Fedorov's eyes on the front", but note that Giorgi is not and has never been a military man, but is engaged in communications and information collection in the specified direction.
Also, the patronage service of the ministry, where three people currently work, does not have people with military experience. The following people work there:
- Kristina Alekperova, who has been working with Fedorov since 2019 and was initially the chief specialist of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine, and after being promoted to chief, became an advisor to the Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
- Vitalina Krutsiuk, who has also been working with Fedorov since 2019 and at various times held the positions of chief specialist of the department of regulatory and legal work, examination of draft acts on construction issues of the legal department of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, advisor to the Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and head of the Vice Prime Minister's service.
- Oleksandr Rak is a lawyer. Since 2018, he has been engaged in advocacy for some time. As of February 2026, according to the National Bar Association of Ukraine, Rak's right to practice law has been terminated. Currently, Rak holds the position of Deputy Head of the Service of the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
Previously, well-known Ukrainian lawyer Oleksii Shevchuk appealed to the Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov with a call to dismiss activist Serhii Sternenko from the position of advisor to the Minister of Defense. Shevchuk compared Sternenko to russian military personnel, who also kill civilians.