Protests spread across Ukrainian cities after Zelensky dismisses defence minister
Protests have broken out in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities after President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. In central Kyiv on Thursday morning, a crowd that was mostly young gathered with signs reading "Hands off Fedorov" and "Stop sabotaging victory!" while chanting "Shame!". The demonstrations reflect a rare public display of anger over a wartime personnel decision at the top of government.
Sponsored
The dismissal has triggered significant concern among commentators, the military and parts of civil society. Fedorov said he had suggested to Zelensky that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov should be replaced. Zelensky, speaking at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said the conflict between the General Staff and the defence ministry had been "systemic" and had occurred "at various levels".
Fedorov, who is 35, was appointed in January and had been credited with energising the ministry. He was also associated with efforts to tackle corruption and use data to improve performance on the front line. In his own remarks, he said that all the initiatives his team proposed had been blocked, and accused Syrskyi of finding a way of "splitting our country" rather than defeating Russia asymmetrically.
Syrskyi responded on Telegram by saying he was proud of the defence operation around Kyiv in 2022 and would continue to focus on the war and an effective strategy. The dispute matters because it comes during a full-scale war in which Ukraine's military leadership and civilian authorities must remain closely aligned. Public disagreement over command structures can affect morale, confidence in decision-making and perceptions of unity at a time when the country is under sustained pressure.
Sponsored
The protests also show that personnel changes inside the defence establishment can quickly become a wider political issue when they are linked to battlefield performance and corruption concerns. The row appears to have developed from tensions between the defence ministry and the military leadership, especially around the role of the commander-in-chief. Zelensky said he would only be able to work with Syrskyi and Fedorov with his own mediation, underlining how personal and institutional the dispute has become.
MPs were due to vote on Thursday on a proposed replacement for defence minister, with interior minister Ihor Klymenko among the names being considered, although Zelensky said no official proposal had yet been submitted. Fedorov's short tenure has made the reaction more striking. Appointed only in January, he had become a visible figure in the ministry and was seen by supporters as part of an effort to improve accountability.
His removal has therefore been interpreted by some protesters as more than a routine reshuffle, especially given the timing and the public nature of the disagreement. The political context is also important because the reshuffle is taking place alongside other senior changes in government. Parliament approved the appointment of state oil and gas boss Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister as part of Zelensky's wider reshuffle.
That broader move suggests the president is trying to reset key parts of his administration while the war continues, even as the defence dispute draws the most attention. What remains unclear is whether the protests will grow, whether parliament will approve a replacement, and whether the tensions between the defence ministry and the General Staff can be contained. Zelensky's comments suggest he sees the dispute as structural rather than personal, but the public reaction shows the issue has already moved beyond internal government circles.
Sponsored
The next developments to watch are the parliamentary vote, any formal nomination for the defence ministry and whether the street demonstrations continue.
#Ukraine #VolodymyrZelensky #MykhailoFedorov #OleksandrSyrskyi #protests
Sponsored
