{"id":954741,"date":"2026-07-23T20:38:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T20:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/954741\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T20:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T20:38:16","slug":"how-protests-over-a-popular-ministers-firing-sparked-ukraines-military-reset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/954741\/","title":{"rendered":"How protests over a popular minister’s firing sparked Ukraine’s military reset"},"content":{"rendered":"

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 In the span of a single week, the dismissal of a Ukrainian defense minister set in motion a transformation<\/a> of the country\u2019s armed forces that replaced the old guard<\/a> with a new generation of leadership.<\/p>\n

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\u2019s decision to fire his popular defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, triggered days of public protest<\/a> that quickly shifted toward the country\u2019s commander-in-chief and highlighted the growing rift<\/a> over the future of Ukraine\u2019s military.<\/p>\n

Demonstrators denounced the commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, and overwhelmingly rallied behind the departed defense minister, who has emerged as one of the country\u2019s most influential wartime reformers with support from Ukrainians hungry for change. Protesters demanded his reinstatement. Fedorov\u2019s dismissal followed months of increasingly bitter disagreements between the two men.<\/p>\n

For Zelenskyy, it was the second time in a year that a wartime decision triggered a public backlash, after he moved in mid-2025 to curb the powers of anti-corruption agencies. As he did then, the president appeared to move quickly to contain the political fallout. He dismissed Syrskyi<\/a> and replaced him with Mykhailo Drapatyi<\/a>, a disciplined battlefield commander whose reputation was forged in the years following Russia\u2019s first invasion in 2014.<\/p>\n

Drapatyi\u2019s appointment marked a sharp generational and philosophical break from Syrskyi, who was shaped by Soviet military tradition. But public support continues to coalesce around Fedorov. The protests have further elevated his political standing.<\/p>\n

New appointment eases concerns about military morale<\/p>\n

Much of the public\u2019s anger was directed at Syrskyi, who became a symbol of deeper frustrations that had accumulated within the military since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n

Drapatyi\u2019s appointment has helped ease some of those concerns. Widely respected by troops and fellow officers, he represents a younger generation of commanders whose credibility was earned on the battlefield rather than inherited through the Soviet military system.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe enjoys a high level of trust within the military. I think this appointment could boost what is often called morale, that is, strengthen the fighting spirit,\u201d said Oleksandr Musiienko, a military analyst in Kyiv.<\/p>\n

The divide between Fedorov and Syrskyi<\/a> was described by one Western defense official as between \u201cdifferent planets.\u201d The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists.<\/p>\n

Fedorov championed a data-driven, technology-led approach to warfare that clashed with Syrskyi\u2019s more traditional ground-forces doctrine. Drapatyi could be a bridge between the two camps, analysts said. Low-profile but highly respected, he has earned the confidence of front-line commanders while embracing many of the reforms championed in Kyiv.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has shown an ability to adapt to the realities of modern warfare, to changing battlefield conditions and to shifting and reallocating resources,\u201d Musiienko said.<\/p>\n

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For many Ukrainians, Syrskyi came to embody the rigid command structures and Soviet-era thinking that Fedorov\u2019s ambitious reforms sought to overhaul. When Fedorov publicly identified Syrskyi as the chief obstacle to those reforms, it brought to light those broader public grievances.<\/p>\n

They include the military\u2019s entrenched bureaucracy and Syrskyi\u2019s command style, criticized as overly centralized and prone to micromanagement, alongside constant mobilization challenges.<\/p>\n

Syrskyi also came under intense criticism for his association with the 425th Separate Assault Regiment, known as Skelia, which for many Ukrainians became emblematic of the tactics that expended soldiers\u2019 lives for marginal territorial gains.<\/p>\n

In addition, the regiment was the focus of a major public scandal after an investigation by the Ukrainian publication Babel reported allegations of systemic abuse, torture in training camps and dozens of noncombat deaths. The allegations triggered an investigation, resulted in the suspension of the regiment\u2019s commander and intensified scrutiny of the military\u2019s command culture.<\/p>\n

Apparent reversal is the second for Zelenskyy since last year<\/p>\n

To some lawmakers and analysts, the episode demonstrated that democracy and accountability are alive in Ukraine despite martial law and the suspension of elections. Zelenskyy, they argued, showed he is still responsive to public demand.<\/p>\n

Other lawmakers, however, cautioned that the episode could set a troubling precedent by allowing public sentiment, rather than institutional decision-making, to shape appointments to the military\u2019s highest ranks.<\/p>\n

Tetiana Shevchuk, a board member of Ukraine\u2019s Anti-Corruption Action Center, said protest is one of the few ways the public can make their voice heard in the absence of elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrustrations built up to the point where people felt the only way to be heard was to take to the streets. That\u2019s not a healthy precedent, but it should also be a signal to the government to address problems before they reach that stage,\u201d Shevchuk said.<\/p>\n

Ukrainian social media quickly filled with memes mocking the president\u2019s apparent search for a new army chief, jokes that underscored the political cost of the episode for Zelenskyy.<\/p>\n

Some memes depicted Zelenskyy interviewing absurd candidates, including Jon Snow from the \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d television series, as well as an alien and a dolphin.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy recently weathered a politically damaging corruption investigation<\/a> involving several of his closest associates, including his former chief of staff<\/a>, Andriy Yermak, who was dismissed amid mounting public pressure.<\/p>\n

Support for Fedorov reflects public\u2019s desire for reform<\/p>\n

The protests were not simply an expression of support for Fedorov, Shevchuk said. They reflected public backing for the reforms he aspired to create.<\/p>\n

\u201cFedorov was pushing the idea that Ukraine had to preserve every soldier\u2019s life and become more efficient than Russia,\u201d Shevchuk said. \u201cOver the past six months, people finally felt Ukraine was gaining an advantage. For the first time in a long time, there was hope that this war was winnable \u2014 that we weren\u2019t just taking loans while slowly losing territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then Zelenskyy dismissed him.<\/p>\n

The political drama is not over. Fedorov announced Thursday that he had rejected Zelenskyy\u2019s efforts<\/a> to persuade him to rejoin the government in a different role, saying would not accept any position other than defense minister.<\/p>\n

Leading the Defense Ministry, he said in a statement, was one of only three jobs that \u201cactually shape the course of the war,\u201d along with the presidency and chief of the armed forces.<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy said he had offered Fedorov the position of deputy prime minister for military innovation.<\/p>\n

Where he goes next could shape the next phase of the saga.<\/p>\n

The episode has also elevated Fedorov\u2019s political profile. He was once known primarily as the architect of Ukraine\u2019s digital transformation and subordinate to Zelenskyy. Now he has a broad base of public support.<\/p>\n

That inevitably raises questions about his long-term political future.<\/p>\n

In just six months as defense minister, Fedorov pursued an ambitious agenda aimed at accelerating Ukraine\u2019s military modernization.<\/p>\n

He redirected funds originally earmarked for personnel costs toward long-range strike capabilities, fiber-optic drones, reconnaissance systems and other advanced technologies. He also highlighted expanded drone acquisition, new contracts related to Patriot air-defense systems, successful ballistic missile tests and a sweeping overhaul of military procurement.<\/p>\n

Fedorov also proposed overhauling military service contracts to make front-line service more sustainable, including higher pay, expanded leave and greater flexibility for infantry soldiers. The changes resonated with troops.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Skelia, a name for the 425th Separate Assault Regiment, and to correct the spelling of the last name of the dismissed commander-in-chief in one instance to Syrskyi.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 In the span of a single week, the dismissal of a Ukrainian defense minister…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":954742,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5],"tags":[3661,57,326269,8132,384094,248429,50,80,3657,273,3660,3656,103,107],"class_list":["post-954741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world","tag-andriy-yermak","tag-general-news","tag-jon-snow","tag-military-and-defense","tag-mykhailo-drapatyi","tag-mykhailo-fedorov","tag-news","tag-politics","tag-russia-ukraine-war","tag-ukraine","tag-ukraine-government","tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","tag-world","tag-world-news"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/954741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=954741"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/954741\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/954742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=954741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=954741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=954741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}