Ukrainians back ousted defence minister as political crisis brews
Thousands of protesters are demanding Fedorov’s return and say the rallies will continue until Zelensky reverses the cabinet shake-up.
- President Zelenskyy fired General Syrskyi and replaced him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi, a 43-year-old commander, after resolving internal military conflict.
- Ukrainians in Kyiv took to the streets for around a week calling for General Syrskyi's dismissal, while the firing of 35-year-old former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week baffled many.
- General Drapatyi became famous in 2014 driving a 13-ton vehicle through barricades in Mariupol and helped plan the 2025 "spider web" drone campaign on Russia's strategic airbases.
- Analysts say President Zelenskyy remains politically wounded by the saga, while public trust in Fedorov surged from 38 per cent to 50 per cent during his six months as defence minister.
- The conflict reveals a generational divide within Ukraine between the Soviet-era military model and modern technological innovation, amid relentless Russian aerial attacks on the country.
33 Articles
33 Articles
After days of protests and anger from both the military and society, President Zelenskyy made a major concession this week: he replaced the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Nevertheless, thousands of Ukrainians are taking to the streets again this weekend with cardboard signs. Their original demand remains unchanged—the return of Mikhail Fedorov as Minister of Defense. Although at their core, the protests may well be about the most import…
In Kyiv, where there were few demonstrators on Friday 24 July, the protest simmers and the very popular Mykhailo Fedorov sees his chances of returning to his post as Minister of Defence diminish.
The demonstrations in support of the former Defence Minister, Michael Fedorov, continue unabated, and the protesters demand his return to his post.
‘You Messed Up – Fix It’: Kyiv Protesters Demand Fedorov’s Return on Day Nine
On the ninth consecutive day of the rally, protesters said the shake-up cannot end halfway – with Syrsky’s ouster – insisting that Fedorov’s return as defense minister remains their top demand.
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Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources are Center
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