Protests broke out in several Ukrainian cities after President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a surprise move.
Mainly young people gathered in Kyiv on Thursday, holding up signs reading “Hands off Fedorov” and “Stop sabotaging victory!” and chanting “Shame!”.
His ouster has causing significant upset among commentators and the military as well as parts of civil society.
The 35-year-old was appointed in January but has been credited with energizing the ministry, cracking down on corruption and using data to analyse and try to improve performance on the front line, the BBC reported.
Fedorov’s ouster was apparently linked to tensions between him and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. .
On Thursday, Fedorov revealed he had suggested to Zelensky that Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov should be replaced.
“When the president said he did not plan to replace Syrskyi, I… said I would learn to work with him,” Fedorov said at a 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.
Zelensky, speaking at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, acknowledged that the conflict between the General Staff and the defense ministry had occurred “at various levels”, and that Syrskyi and Fedorov would only work together with his mediation.
Zelensky said he wanted Fedorov to play another role in defense, but the ousted minister appeared to reject this.
Confirming reshuffle, parliament approved the appointment of state oil and gas boss Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister. The incumbent, Yuliia Svyrydenko resigned earlier this week.
