Protests erupt across Ukraine over Zelenskyy's dismissal of defence minister

Protests broke out in several Ukrainian cities on Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, triggering criticism from sections of the military, civil society and political commentators.

Hundreds of mostly young demonstrators gathered in central Kyiv carrying placards reading "Hands off Fedorov", "Stop sabotaging victory!" and chanting "Shame!" Similar protests were reported in several other cities.

Zelenskyy has not publicly explained his decision to remove the 35-year-old minister, who was appointed in January and was widely credited with modernising the defence ministry, expanding drone warfare capabilities, digitising military operations and pursuing anti-corruption reforms.

Ukraine's parliament was expected to vote on the appointment of Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as the new defence minister as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle that also saw Serhiy Koretsky approved as prime minister following Yuliia Svyrydenko's resignation.

Fedorov cites differences with military chief

At a press conference on Thursday, Fedorov said he had recommended replacing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, but Zelenskyy rejected the proposal.

"When the president said he did not plan to replace Syrskyi, I said I would learn to work with him," Fedorov said, adding that many of his ministry's initiatives were subsequently blocked.

He accused Syrskyi of focusing on internal divisions instead of developing innovative strategies to counter Russia.

Fedorov also revealed that Zelenskyy had offered him an advisory role, which he declined. However, he said he remained confident that the president would listen to public concerns and resolve the situation.

Military and public backlash

The dismissal has drawn strong criticism from parts of Ukraine's military.

One soldier told the BBC that Fedorov's removal was "the worst mistake Zelensky has made during his entire presidency", saying many troops had supported his reform agenda.

Protesters in Kyiv said they feared the dismissal would undermine military innovation at a critical stage of the war.

Before becoming defence minister, Fedorov served as minister for digital transformation, where he launched Ukraine's volunteer "IT Army" to conduct cyber operations against Russia.

As defence minister, he oversaw programmes to expand drone production and battlefield technology, introduced data-driven military management and sought to streamline procurement while tackling corruption. His ministry also played a central role in Ukraine's expanding long-range drone campaign and efforts to strengthen domestic defence production.