Thousands of Ukrainians have taken to the streets in several cities to protest the removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a move that has sparked public anger and concerns over instability within the country’s military leadership. In Kyiv on Thursday, more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at a central square, singing……
Thousands of Ukrainians have taken to the streets in several cities to protest the removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a move that has sparked public anger and concerns over instability within the country’s military leadership.
In Kyiv on Thursday, more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at a central square, singing the national anthem, waving Ukrainian and European Union flags, and chanting slogans including “shame” and “bring Fedorov back.”
Fedorov, who was appointed defence minister just six months ago, gained popularity as a reform-minded official credited with efforts to modernise Ukraine’s military, which has been under strain from more than four years of Russia’s war.
His departure comes at a sensitive period for Ukraine’s armed forces, which have recently slowed the pace of Russian advances and intensified long-range drone strikes against Russian oil facilities and military targets.
Fedorov announced his resignation late Wednesday, describing it as a “great honour to serve the Ukrainian people,” amid a major government reshuffle initiated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The government has not provided an official explanation for his removal, but protesters linked the decision to reported tensions within Ukraine’s military establishment, particularly between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
“I believe that his dismissal is a slap in the face of the Ukrainian people,” Vlada Roman, a 30-year-old business owner, told AFP during the protest.
Roman expressed hope that Zelensky would reverse the decision, accusing the president of being “afraid of effective people.”
“After today’s rally he’ll change his mind, I hope so,” she said.
Similar demonstrations were reported in other Ukrainian cities, including Lviv, Odesa and Dnipro, according to local media reports.
The reshuffle has also resulted in the removal of the prime minister, while Zelensky has yet to announce a replacement for Fedorov.
Ukraine’s deputy air force commander, Pavlo Yelizarov, also resigned in protest over Fedorov’s departure.
“It is a great honour for me to work with Mykhailo Fedorov. In 2022, I joined the defence forces to win, not to pretend to be doing something,” Yelizarov said in his resignation statement.
AFP
