Protests Spread Over Defense Minister's Dismissal; Zelensky Considers Replacing Military Chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering replacing the commander-in-chief of the armed forces as protests against the dismissal of the defense minister spread, creating a leadership crisis within the military, the British newspaper Financial Times reported.

The newspaper reported on July 18 (local time), citing a senior Ukrainian government official, that President Zelensky plans to convene military commanders this weekend to assess the war situation and interview potential successors to the current commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky (60).

The official explained that President Zelensky could replace the commander-in-chief if a smooth transition of command is possible while maintaining a strong defense along the 1,200km front line.

The current crisis was sparked by the dismissal of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (35), a civilian politician, on July 15 following an open conflict with Commander-in-Chief Syrsky.

Large-scale protests calling for the resignation of Syrsky in protest of Fedorov's dismissal were held on July 16 and 17, with veterans and active-duty soldiers in attendance, and protests are expected to continue on Saturday, July 18.

Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a veteran who organized the protests, stated in a post on social media X that the top demand of the protests is the dismissal of Syrsky, followed by the reinstatement of Fedorov.

Former Minister Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Syrsky have been in serious conflict over what strategies and tactics the Ukrainian military should prioritize to counter Russian forces.

Commander-in-Chief Syrsky, who took office in February 2024, has prioritized assault infantry and artillery in accordance with the traditions of the former Soviet military, earning him the nickname "The Butcher" for emphasizing the achievement of military objectives even at the cost of significant troop casualties.

He was responsible for the defense of Kyiv in February 2022, when he was commander of the ground forces, and successfully led the counter-offensive operations in Kharkiv and Kherson seven months later.

Former Minister Fedorov, who served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation in charge of innovation, education, and science and technology before taking office as Minister of Defense in January of this year, has been pushing to strengthen drone capabilities.

He has also been pursuing plans to reduce troop casualties and discharge soldiers who have been mobilized for a long time.

According to former Minister Fedorov's claims, his dismissal came after Commander-in-Chief Syrsky issued an "ultimatum" to President Zelensky demanding Fedorov's removal.

In a press conference on July 16, the day after his dismissal, Fedorov accused Syrsky of blocking defense ministry reform efforts and tolerating corruption.

While acknowledging Syrsky's efforts to defend Kyiv during the first few weeks of the invasion in 2022 and his successes in the Kharkiv and Kherson counter-offensives that autumn, Fedorov argued that Syrsky is refusing to adapt as the importance of drones grows and the nature of the war changes.

"If we want to defeat the enemy asymmetrically and with minimal losses, we must change the commander-in-chief (Syrsky) and the chief of the general staff (Anatoliy Barhylevych)," former Minister Fedorov argued.

Fedorov said he urged Zelensky to dismiss Syrsky, stating that a reshuffle of the military's top leadership is necessary to defeat Russia.

Syrsky did not respond to a request for comment from the Financial Times and has not publicly stated his position regarding the allegations raised by Fedorov.

On the same day, President Zelensky explained to reporters that the relationship between Fedorov and Syrsky had deteriorated significantly, stating, "They don't sit down and talk without me."

The Financial Times reported that Western partners and NATO officials in Ukraine had worked closely with Fedorov and supported his reform plans for the opaque Ministry of Defense, with one Western defense attaché in Kyiv expressing shock at Fedorov's sudden dismissal.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces before Syrsky, has been serving as Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom since July 2024, five months after his departure.

It is reported that former Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who stepped down along with Fedorov and others during this cabinet reshuffle, was offered the position of Ukrainian ambassador to the United States but declined, though presidential office officials said President Zelensky would continue to attempt to persuade her.

President Zelensky is reportedly pushing for a new ambassador to the U.S.

This position is considered a key diplomatic post that plays a significant role in relations with the U.S. administration of Donald Trump and issues regarding war support.

The current Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, took office in August of last year.

Meanwhile, according to announcements by Russian authorities, 7 people were killed and 51 injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in the Moscow and Tambov regions from the night of July 17 to the early morning of July 18.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.