Rare protests have erupted in Ukraine over Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as a dispute between him and Kyiv’s top general spilled into the open.
Mr Zelenskyy’s reshuffle, the second held this year, has fuelled public anger over his exclusion of Mr Fedorov, a 35-year-old tech expert who has aimed to reshape Kyiv’s outmanned army into a more efficient fighting force to take on Russia.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in the capital Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities to demand he be reappointed while a senior commander of Kyiv’s air war resigned.
The new government under energy executive Sergii Koretskyi was approved by a parliamentary vote on Thursday.
Protesters took to the streets urging the Ukrainian president to restore Mykhailo Fedorov to his role. (Reuters: Thomas Peter)
It could see outgoing interior minister Ihor Klymenko replace Mr Fedorov, politicians said, with the change coming at a critical moment in the war.
Serhii Marchenko retained his post as finance minister but the vote did not include the defence and foreign ministers, who are proposed by the president. The next parliamentary session is scheduled for August 18.
Fedorov clashes with army chief
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Mr Fedorov said he had declined an offer from Mr Zelenskyy to serve as an adviser.
The Kremlin says it is monitoring the Ukrainian government reshuffle. (Reuters: Anastasia Barashkova)
In a scathing attack on military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Mr Fedorov accused the general of blocking ministry initiatives and failing to address problems directly.
“Instead of working out how to defeat Russia … he has figured out how to split the country,” he said, dressed in his trademark casual T-shirt and jeans.
General Syrskyi, 60, has been in his post since early 2024 but has faced criticism for a rigid command style which some service members have said results in high troop losses.
In a statement, General Syrskyi called for focusing on Ukraine’s war effort and recalled his role in helping defend Kyiv from Russian forces in the first weeks of their 2022 invasion.
“And now in this city, briefings can be held, visions can be developed, and decisions can be made,” he said, appearing to mock Mr Fedorov’s press conference hours earlier.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi are under pressure over the reshuffle. (Reuters: Valentyn Ogirenko)
Mr Zelenskyy said he was still considering who would replace Mr Fedorov, adding that Mr Klymenko was only one of the candidates under discussion and that he would look into the matter again.
“The president is not supposed to pick sides in this kind of situation during wartime,” he said of Mr Fedorov’s dispute with General Syrskyi, appearing flustered.
“I would very much like unity. The sides did not find it.“
Drone warfare leader resigns in response
Ukraine is in its best battlefield position since late 2022, striking Russia’s oil sector and military logistics in drone and missile attacks that have weakened Moscow’s war machine.
But Kyiv’s forces still face grinding Russian advances in the east amid a critical shortage of ground troops, as well as a lack of air defences as Moscow steps up strikes with ballistic missiles.
“In difficult moments, Zelenskyy behaves like a hero,” wrote Vitalii Sych, chief editor of Ukrainian outlet NV.
“But we should not forget that difficult moments are often caused by his idiotic decisions.”
Pavlo Yelizarov, a deputy commander of Ukraine’s air force and a key leader in drone warfare, said he was stepping down in response to Mr Fedorov’s dismissal — calling it “a great evil” for Ukraine’s defence.
A spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters the Kremlin was monitoring the reshuffle.
Demonstrations held near presidential offices
In Kyiv, more than 1,000 protesters rallied outside Mr Zelenskyy’s office to chants of “Shame!” and carrying placards with phrases such as “For what?” and “The Russians are celebrating”.
The scene was reminiscent of major protests last July, when a public outcry forced Mr Zelenskyy to reverse an unpopular measure stripping anti-corruption agencies of their independence.
The reshuffle is being poorly received by some Ukrainians, who have taken to the streets of several major cities to protest the move. (Reuters: Thomas Peter)
“We’re in favour of an upgrade — not a downgrade,” said a protester who identified himself as Ali, who described Mr Fedorov as an effective and modern manager.
Other protesters demanded that Mr Zelenskyy oust General Syrskyi instead.
Mr Fedorov, who had previously served as Ukraine’s first digital transformation minister, has been credited with cutting bureaucracy, boosting drone warfare and pursuing a data-driven strategy to exhaust Russian forces.
But supporters say his attempts to clean up defence procurement have angered parts of the establishment. He has also been criticised for failing to deliver quickly enough on his pledge to reform recruitment.
Mr Zelenskyy announced his latest shake-up to widespread shock on Sunday, arguing the government and law enforcement agencies needed “renewal”.
Mr Koretskyi, in a post on X, said his government’s main task would be to “fully equip” the army with a range of drones, scale up Ukraine’s defence sector, as well as prepare for another winter of Russian strikes on the power grid.
Reuters
