Ukrainians back ousted defence minister as political crisis brews
Thousands of protesters are demanding Fedorov’s return and say the rallies will continue until Zelensky reverses the cabinet shake-up.
- President Zelenskyy fired General Syrskyi and replaced him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi, a 43-year-old commander, after resolving internal military conflict.
- Ukrainians in Kyiv took to the streets for around a week calling for General Syrskyi's dismissal, while the firing of 35-year-old former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week baffled many.
- General Drapatyi became famous in 2014 driving a 13-ton vehicle through barricades in Mariupol and helped plan the 2025 "spider web" drone campaign on Russia's strategic airbases.
- Analysts say President Zelenskyy remains politically wounded by the saga, while public trust in Fedorov surged from 38 per cent to 50 per cent during his six months as defence minister.
- The conflict reveals a generational divide within Ukraine between the Soviet-era military model and modern technological innovation, amid relentless Russian aerial attacks on the country.
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Wartime Ukraine’s people power protests are Putin’s worst nightmare
Ukrainians have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The protests are a reminder of the vibrant democratic culture that provoked Putin's invasion, writes Peter Dickinson. The post Wartime Ukraine’s people power protests are Putin’s worst nightmare appeared first on Atlantic Council.
It was an exceptional reaction from a population that has been under fire from Russian drones, missiles, and aerial bombs for years. Despite the security risks, thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in various cities last week to express their dissatisfaction with the dismissal of the young, popular Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The dismissal of the young and emblematic defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, provoked a popular anger that President Volodymyr Zelensky tried to calm down by separating himself from his chief of staff of the army, Oleksandr Syrsky. An unimaginable crisis in Moscow, which above all recalls the weight of Ukrainian civil society.
Big win for Putin? Zelensky's shock army shake-up sparks massive revolt, Ukrainians demand this…
Ukraine is witnessing a fresh wave of protests as demonstrators across Kyiv and Kharkiv call for the reinstatement of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov following President Volodymyr Zelensky's controversial government reshuffle. The political unrest comes even as Russia intensifies its missile campaign, adding to the mounting pressure on Kyiv.
Protests against an unpopular government reshuffle have shaken political Kyiv. It could have long-term consequences for the power relations in Ukraine and for President Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
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