President Volodymyr Zelensky has abruptly fired Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sparking spontaneous protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Law‑makers are tomorrow set to vote on the proposed replacement, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, but yesterday’s backlash shows the move has deeply offended many.
In the capital, crowds—mostly young people—held up signs reading Hands off Fedorov and Stop sabotaging victory! they shouted Shame! The protest at Ivan Franko square was echoed in other cities such as Odesa and Kharkiv.
Fedorov, 35, joined the government in January after a career as a digital‑transformation minister. He was credited with reshaping the defence ministry, driving anti‑corruption campaigns, and deploying data analytics on the front lines. His reputation as a technology‑savvy reformer earned him praise from many within the army, who say he "cut out bureaucracy" and pushed forward initiatives such as the volunteer IT Army and the Army of Drones.
Critics suggest the dismissal may stem from a clash between Fedorov and Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, or from frustrations over a sluggish mobilisation effort. Soldiers in the field, as one Ukrainian soldier put it, see the dismissal as the worst mistake of Zelensky’s presidency. The decision is also seen as a blow to Ukraine’s high‑tech war gains, like drone strikes that hit the Crimean peninsula, and to plans to limit Russian use of Starlink satellites.
The swift move by President Zelensky has left civil society and the military uncertain about Ukraine’s defence leadership and its future war strategy. With the war still ongoing, the shock has highlighted divisions within the government and between the political and military corridors, raising doubts over the next direction of Ukraine’s war effort.
