KYIV, Ukraine — Demonstrators flooded the center of Kyiv on Thursday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took steps to remove his defense minister from office, while parliament gathered to appoint a new prime minister as part of a sweeping government overhaul.
The restructuring could serve as a significant test of Zelenskyy’s political standing as Ukraine’s conflict with Russia approaches four and a half years of full-scale warfare.
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, has been regarded as a forward-thinking modernizer whose background in technology is seen as a key factor behind notable improvements in Ukraine’s battlefield performance in recent months against a much larger Russian military force. He was expected to exit the government after only six months in the role.
Zelenskyy offered no public explanation for Fedorov’s anticipated removal. Unverified reports from Ukrainian media outlets suggested that Fedorov had a tense working relationship with Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Syrskyi, 60, is recognized for helping organize the defense of Kyiv in February 2022 and for engineering a successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region seven months later. He was born in 1965 in the Soviet Union and trained at the Moscow Higher Military Command School before serving in the Soviet Artillery Corps.
The crowd at Thursday’s protest — made up largely of younger demonstrators — chanted Fedorov’s name and directed sharp criticism at Syrskyi. Protesters were heard shouting, “Syrskyy go away!” and “A European army for a European country!”
Kyiv resident Bohdan Huryak, who attended the demonstration, described himself as “deeply outraged” over Fedorov’s departure.
“I’m not deeply invested in the internal political debates, but this is a person who shows results on the battlefield, we see results, we feel the fighting spirit and confidence in victory rising,” Huryak told The Associated Press. “And then, six months later, he is removed from office? Come on.”
Protests also erupted in other parts of Ukraine, including the city of Dnipro in the center of the country and the southern port city of Odesa.
This is not the first time street demonstrations have put pressure on Zelenskyy. Last July, he reversed course after widespread protests broke out over legislation that would have weakened the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption oversight bodies — the most serious challenge to his leadership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
Before becoming defense minister last January, Fedorov had led Ukraine’s digital transformation efforts and was widely seen as an innovator. He gained public recognition by driving the rapid development and deployment of drone technology and launching several successful digital government platforms.
After taking office, he pledged major military reforms, noting that the armed forces had been dealing with roughly 200,000 desertions and approximately 2 million cases of draft evasion.
In social media posts, Fedorov highlighted what he described as significant accomplishments during his short time in the role. He said he made the calculated decision to redirect funds originally set aside for salaries into midrange strike capabilities, fiber-optic drones, reconnaissance technology, and other military systems.
He also pointed to expanded drone procurement efforts, Patriot missile defense agreements, successful ballistic missile tests, and broad reforms to the military’s procurement process.
At the same time, Fedorov acknowledged falling short in some areas, including completing the Defense Ministry’s organizational transformation “according to NATO standards and common sense,” shifting all procurement to competitive bidding, and building a culture of accountability within the ministry.
He also noted that while many officials had been let go during his tenure, “it was necessary to dismiss even more people who were hindering the changes.”
Zelenskyy never formally announced Fedorov’s removal. However, Fedorov himself confirmed his dismissal late Wednesday in social media posts, where he also outlined his record in office — this came after days of unverified Ukrainian media speculation about his impending exit.
Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced via social media late Wednesday that Zelenskyy had nominated Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi to serve as the country’s new prime minister.
Zelenskyy stated Wednesday that Koretskyi was the most fitting choice given the government’s top priority of readying Ukraine for another challenging winter season, pointing to the Naftogaz chief’s extensive background in the energy sector.
Lawmakers in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, were debating the proposed Cabinet changes ahead of the summer recess, which begins Saturday.
