Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended his decision to dismiss Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, confirming a breakdown in relations between the ministry and the country's top military leadership. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy described a 'challenging dialogue' between Fedorov, a reformist, and Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi.
'I would very much like to see unity. The sides have not found it. And the problem lies not only with the sides, but with me as well,' Zelenskyy said. 'But things are as they are. And in such a situation, you have a choice: either one side or the other.' His decision to back Syrskyi has outraged civil society and dismayed Ukraine's foreign partners.
Protests Erupt in Kyiv
More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside the presidential office in Kyiv on Thursday, carrying placards supporting Fedorov. One read: 'For what?', another: 'Is your head screwed on?'. Chants of 'Syrskyi out' echoed through the crowd. This was only the second large-scale anti-government protest since Russia's 2022 invasion; a similar backlash occurred a year ago when Zelenskyy briefly closed two anti-corruption agencies.
The growing domestic political crisis overshadowed Starmer's farewell visit to Kyiv, his last as UK prime minister before leaving Downing Street. The two leaders laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance and held private talks in the presidential palace gardens.
Starmer's Farewell Visit
At a joint press conference, Zelenskyy awarded Starmer the Order of Freedom, Ukraine's highest foreign honour. An emotional Starmer gave Zelenskyy a framed Ukrainian flag that flew above Downing Street in February 2022 as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv. 'The support of the United Kingdom for this course will never change,' Starmer said. 'It is in our bones. Your fight is our fight.'
Starmer noted that Ukrainian drone strikes on long-range targets inside Russia had shifted the war's momentum, declaring that President Vladimir Putin was 'losing'. He described Ukraine's improved mood over recent months as significant, attributing it to 'hard work, guts, resolve and courage'. Zelenskyy praised Starmer for leading the 'coalition of the willing' alongside France and thanked ordinary Britons for their support.
Fedorov's Response
Fedorov held his own press conference, accusing Ukraine's top brass of obstructing reforms and using Soviet-style methods. He claimed decisions on which brigades to support, including with drones, were based on 'loyalty' rather than data. 'It's impossible to develop the system on this basis,' he said.
Fedorov alleged that the General Staff opposed his plans to create centres of excellence and reorganise the army, instead blocking initiatives and engaging in 'bureaucratic wrangling'. He had proposed replacing Syrskyi, a suggestion that apparently led to his own dismissal on Wednesday. 'This sort of culture needs to be eradicated, because otherwise we won't be able to defeat an enemy whose system is plagued by the very same issues,' Fedorov said. He added that Ukraine must defeat Russia 'asymmetrically, with minimal losses'.
Fedorov turned down an offer from Zelenskyy to remain as a government adviser. Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, with Serhiy Koretskyi, head of energy company Naftogaz, likely to replace her.
Political Fallout
Fedorov's scathing comments suggest the political row over Zelenskyy's reshuffle may intensify. He praised Syrskyi for thwarting Russia's seizure of Kyiv but criticised him for refusing open dialogue and instead 'weaving intrigues' that 'divide the country'. During Fedorov's six months in office, Ukraine's battlefield position improved significantly, with strikes on Russian oil refineries causing fuel shortages and attacks on land and sea routes isolating occupied Crimea.
Protesters outside Kyiv's Ivan Franko theatre speculated that Fedorov, a charismatic and digitally savvy figure, was removed due to being seen as a future presidential rival. In 2024, Zelenskyy dismissed popular army chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, sending him as ambassador to London. Protester Andrii Dligach said Fedorov represented openness and modernisation, while Syrskyi is 'an old-fashioned general' with allegedly corrupt associates running their own drone projects. 'The problem is that Zelenskyy opposes anybody who shows political ambition,' Dligach said, adding that most around the president prefer an 'old-fashioned management style, similar to the one in Russia, with a tsar'.
