Protests took place in several cities across Ukraine against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Mykhailo Fedorov from his post as Minister of Defence. According to the BBC, protesters in Kyiv chanted «Shame!» and demanded that Fedorov, who was appointed to head the ministry in January, not be sacked.
Briefly about the main points
- Protests against Fedorov’s dismissal took place in several Ukrainian cities.
- In Kyiv, participants held up placards reading «Hands off Fedorov».
- Zelenskyy has not publicly explained the decision to dismiss the minister.
- Parliament was due to vote on Igor Klymenko’s nomination.
- Pavlo Yelizarov, commander of the drone unit, announced his resignation in protest.
Protests in Kyiv and the public reaction
On Thursday morning, a crowd of people, mostly young people, gathered in the centre of Kyiv. Their placards bore the slogans «Hands off Fedorov» and «Stop sabotaging victory!». The protesters also chanted «Shame on you».
According to Ukrmedia News, the President’s decision provoked a strong reaction not only amongst some sections of civil society, but also amongst the military and commentators. The President did not publicly explain the reasons for the dismissal.
Soldier Oleksandr told the BBC that he had joined the army this year because he trusted Fedorov’s team and his vision. Maria Lavrynets, a participant in the Kyiv protest, emphasised that the protesters could see the results of his work and attributed them to the soldiers’ motivation.
What was Fyodorov doing at the Ministry of Defence?
A 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorova He was appointed Minister of Defence only in January. Prior to that, he headed the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, he helped set up the volunteer «IT Army of Ukraine» to carry out cyberattacks against the Russian side.
At the department Fedorov He began a restructuring programme, focusing on tackling corruption, analysing data from the front line and improving the performance of the various units. He also developed the drone, technology and procurement sectors.
His previous initiatives include the «Army of Drones» fundraising campaign and a scheme under which military units were awarded points for hitting Russian targets. According to the BBC, when he first took office as minister, he also appealed to Elon Musk calling for restrictions on Russia’s use of Starlink for drone attacks.
Theories as to the reasons for the resignation
Some of the BBC’s sources link the dismissal to tensions between Fedorov and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom the publication describes as an advocate of a more traditional approach. Others point to criticisms that the mobilisation system is not being updated quickly enough.
These explanations do not represent the President’s official position. Following his dismissal, Fyodorov himself wrote on Facebook that he would continue to work towards victory over the enemy through «asymmetry, the speed of innovation and organisational strength».
Blogger Serhiy Sternenko, whom Fedorov had appointed as an adviser, described him as the best defence minister in Ukraine’s history and spoke of bureaucratic obstacles and artificial delays to reforms.
A personnel decision and a protest within the armed forces
The Verkhovna Rada was due to consider the nomination of the current Minister of the Interior Igor Klymenko as a replacement for Fedorov. The vote was due to take place against a backdrop of public objections to the appointment.
Commander of the drone unit Pavel Elizarov reported on his resignation from the post of Deputy Commander of the Air Force in protest. He described Fedorov’s dismissal as «a great blow to the country’s defence capability».
The reaction to his resignation suggests that, for Fedorov’s supporters, his work has come to symbolise technological and managerial modernisation within the defence ministry. At the same time, the President’s explanation could determine whether the protests will continue.
