Defense Minister's Ouster Sparks Fury! Rare Protests Erupt in Kyiv as Zelenskyy Considers Replacing Ukraine's Top Commander

Following the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's government and military have plunged into a leadership crisis. The UK's Financial Times reported on the 18th that as protest waves intensify, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering replacing General Oleksandr Syrsky, the armed forces commander privately dubbed 'the Butcher' by frontline soldiers, in an effort to resolve the wartime military leadership crisis.

The crisis was triggered by Zelenskyy's recent dismissal of 35-year-old Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a figure deeply trusted by Western allies. According to Fedorov, Syrsky submitted an ultimatum to the president demanding his removal, prompting Zelenskyy to fire Fedorov last week. The move immediately sparked strong backlash, and public discontent over the defense minister's dismissal quickly escalated on the evening of the 17th into a broad-based campaign calling for Syrsky's resignation.

In April 2023, then-Ukrainian Digital Minister Fedorov told an Associated Press interview that technologies such as drones, electronic warfare, and satellite communications were key to defeating Russia.

A senior Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that Zelenskyy plans to convene regional military commanders over the weekend to personally hear their latest battlefield assessments and interview potential candidates for the top commander role. The official emphasized that Zelenskyy remains open to replacing Syrsky, provided a successor can ensure both a smooth leadership transition and maintain defensive positions along the 1,200-kilometer front line.

The Financial Times reported that on the evening of the 17th, large crowds of protesters gathered at Ivan Franko Square outside the presidential office in Kyiv, chanting 'Syrsky out!'—one of the largest demonstrations in Kyiv in recent times. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters also took to the streets in major cities such as Lviv and Odesa.

Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a veteran who initiated the protest, stated on social platform X that the primary demand is Syrsky's dismissal, followed by the reinstatement of Fedorov, and called on the public to return to the streets at 8 p.m. on the 18th.

Zelenskyy recently admitted to the media that the relationship between Fedorov and Syrsky had deteriorated to the point where they no longer speak to each other, and could only communicate when the president personally mediated. 'Without me present, they simply refuse to sit down and talk,' Zelenskyy lamented, emphasizing his strong desire for unity, which ultimately failed to materialize.

On the 16th, Fedorov held a press conference, publicly accusing Syrsky of obstructing his efforts to reform the Defense Ministry and even enabling corruption within the military. While Fedorov acknowledged Syrsky's success in defending Kyiv during the early stages of the war and his contributions to counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Kherson, he stated: 'If we want to defeat the enemy asymmetrically with minimal casualties, we must replace the commander-in-chief and the chief of the general staff.'

On July 16, 2026, a large crowd in Kyiv protested President Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Fedorov.

Fedorov emphasized that as Ukraine escalates drone attacks on targets within Russian territory, the nature of the war has changed, but Syrsky has failed to adapt. Russia reported on the 17th that Ukrainian drone strikes on areas near Moscow and Tambov caused seven deaths and 51 injuries. Fedorov said he has urged Zelenskyy to remove Syrsky, stressing that Ukraine must restructure its military leadership to defeat Russia.

On November 30, 2023, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy discussed battlefield conditions with Army Commander Syrsky on the Kharkiv front line.

The Financial Times noted a fundamental clash between Fedorov and Syrsky's strategies: Fedorov sees 'drones and automated systems' as Ukraine's future in countering Russian forces. NATO officials and Western partners have closely collaborated with Fedorov, strongly supporting his reform efforts within the traditionally opaque Defense Ministry. When Fedorov was abruptly dismissed, Western military attaches in Kyiv expressed 'shock.' In contrast, Syrsky, trained under Soviet military doctrine, remains committed to traditional infantry and artillery tactics, willing to accept heavy troop casualties to achieve military objectives—earning him the grim nickname 'the Butcher' among soldiers.

Syrsky took command as top general in February 2024, succeeding the widely beloved former commander Valeriy Zaluzhny, who now serves as Ukraine's ambassador to the UK. This appointment had already sparked significant controversy at the time. The Financial Times noted that the rare sight of active-duty soldiers and veterans joining protests underscores the depth of internal military dissent.

The Financial Times pointed out that Zelenskyy is now mired in a political quagmire. A senior aide revealed that Yulia Svyrydenko, the recently dismissed former prime minister, remains Zelenskyy's top choice for ambassador to the US. Although Svyrydenko has previously declined the post, insiders say the president continues to try to persuade her. With the Ukraine-Russia war at a critical juncture, how Ukraine navigates relations with a potential Trump administration could determine the war's ultimate outcome.