Zelensky’s removal of popular defence minister sparks protests in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s surprise move to replace popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has caused an outburst of anger from civil society and protests from MPs.

A crowd of mostly young people gathered in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on Thursday morning, holding up signs reading “Hands off Fedorov” and “Stop sabotaging victory!” and chanting “Shame!”.

By evening, Zelensky had put forward the name of Maj-Gen Yevhenii Khmara, the acting head of the Security Service (SBU), as acting defence minister.

“Khmara has gained extensive and, in many respects, unprecedented experience with technological combat operations,” Zelensky said.

Initial rumours that the end of Fedorov’s tenure was related to tensions between him and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi were all but confirmed by Fedorov himself and Zelensky.

On Thursday, Fedorov revealed he had suggested to Zelensky that Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov should be replaced.

Zelensky, speaking at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, acknowledged that the conflict between the General Staff and the defence ministry had been “systemic” and occurred “at various levels”, and that Syrskyi and Fedorov would only work together with his mediation.

“When the president said he did not plan to replace Syrskyi, I… said I would learn to work with him,” Fedorov said at his own press conference. But “all the initiatives we proposed were blocked,” he added.

“Instead of finding a way of defeating Russia asymmetrically – which is the commander-in-chief’s job – he’s found a way of splitting our country,” Fedorov said of Syrskyi.

In a curt message, Syrskyi wrote on Telegram that he was “proud” of the defence operation that was mounted around Kyiv in 2022 when Russian troops were closing in and said he would continue to “focus on the war and on an effective strategy”, before wishing Fedorov “continued success”.

Fedorov, 35, was appointed only in January but has been credited with energising the ministry, heading a drive against corruption and using data to analyse and try to improve performance on the front line.

MPs were due to vote on Thursday on the proposed replacement as defence minister, Ihor Klymenko, who currently heads the interior ministry – but Zelensky said his was only one of the names being considered and that no official proposal had been submitted yet.

As part of Zelensky’s reshuffle, parliament approved the appointment of state oil and gas boss Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister, after Yuliia Svyrydenko resigned earlier this week.