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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hinted at upcoming changes within the military on Saturday, as rare wartime protests over the dismissal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov gripped the nation for a third consecutive day.
Yesterday and today have been filled with consultations. Of course, I hear what people are saying. Today, I spoke at length with Mykhailo Fedorov. I also spoke with Oleksandr Syrskyi today. Decisions regarding the army will be worked out.
Thank you to everyone who cares about… pic.twitter.com/9NrBOTEksh
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 18, 2026
The civil unrest follows a controversial government reshuffle earlier this week in which Zelensky sacked the 35-year-old, tech-savvy minister.
The street demonstrations coincided with two days of intensive high-level meetings between Zelensky and his top commanders, fuelling widespread speculation that the president may also replace army chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
In Kyiv, demonstrators gathered to chant Fedorov’s name, demand Syrsky’s resignation, and voice frustration over the strategic direction of the war effort.
The political friction stems from a long-standing clash between Fedorov, who aggressively pushed to digitise and modernise the military, and the 60-year-old Syrsky, who favoured traditional bureaucratic control.
While Fedorov publicly questioned whether Ukraine could defeat Russia under the current army chief’s leadership, Syrsky dismissed the criticism, urging the nation to maintain focus on the frontline strategy rather than political divisions.
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