For a second day, thousands of Ukrainians have gathered outside the presidential office in Kyiv to protest the sudden removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular figure known for his tech-driven approach to warfare. The protest follows a surprise government reshuffle in which Fedorov was not reappointed, sparking public outcry and exposing a rift between the minister and the more conventional military chief of staff, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Zelenskyy Defends Decision Amid Leadership Rift
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended his decision, stating he was forced “to choose between sides [when honestly] what I want most is unity.” The move has startled senior European officials, as Fedorov had successfully leveraged drone and missile technology, contributing to recent advantages in the war against Russia. According to Guardian senior international correspondent Peter Beaumont, “With hindsight, the conflict between the two men and their ideas about how to fight the war was inevitable: between an older – and old-school general – micromanaging a bruising war of attrition against a more numerous foe, and Fedorov, with his tech-driven, more improvisational approach that appeared in recent months to be showing dividends.”
Zelenskyy Moves to Repair Ties with Poland
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy on Friday took steps to repair a rift with key ally Poland over his decision in May to name a Ukrainian army unit in honour of second world war fighters who killed Poles. He pledged to expand investigations into those killings by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a pro-independence armed group, and to open intelligence files. Zelenskyy told a meeting of senior officials that improved ties were critical given Poland’s help to Ukraine against Russia. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that Poland was “ready for a serious and friendly dialogue on the issues that unite us and those that divide us.”
Drone Attacks on Russia
A Ukrainian drone attack on a logistics centre in the town of Kotovsk in western Russia killed seven people and wounded 24, according to Governor of the Tambov region, Evgeny Pervyshov, who said on Saturday the workers were killed when enemy UAVs hit a Wildberries logistics centre. In Moscow, a mass drone attack was mostly neutralised by air defence forces, with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reporting that 64 enemy UAVs were destroyed on approach to the capital.
Russian Crackdown on Dissent
In Russia, authorities cracked down on dissent, detaining blogger Ilya Remeslo on Friday on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian army, as reported by TASS state news agency. RIA news agency quoted Remeslo’s lawyer, Sergei Badamshin, as saying the blogger denied the charges. Separately, anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin, who attempted to run against Putin in the 2024 presidential election, was fined 1,000 roubles ($13) for displaying “extremist symbols.” The case is part of a series of steps against Nadezhdin that could signal more serious consequences if he continues to criticise the government.
Russian Attacks on Ukrainian Ports
Russia continued its attacks in the Black Sea, hitting two Ukrainian port cities on Friday, killing three people, Ukrainian officials said. A Russian drone attack on port infrastructure at the southern city of Mykolaiv damaged three civilian foreign-flagged vessels, regional prosecutors said. One of the strikes, early on Friday, killed two Ukrainians on board a foreign vessel. Another man was killed in a Russian attack on Odesa, Ukraine’s biggest seaport, local officials said. Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said a later Russian strike hit a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel in one of the Odesa region ports, damaging the vessel, triggering a fire and injuring four of its 17 crew members. The strikes have led to a partial halt in grain shipments and an almost complete suspension of grain purchases at port terminals, traders and analysts say.
