# Dismissal Of Ukraine’s Defense Chief Sparks Political Crisis For Zelenskyy

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/dismissal-of-ukraines-defense-chief-sparks-political-crisis-for-zelenskyy/
- Published: 2026-07-16T09:07:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-27T09:16:02+00:00
- Original publisher: HuffPost (publisher lean: Far left)
- Original article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ukraine-outcry-over-zelenskyy-firing-fedorov_n_6a589c5ce4b0c721b1f81aae
- Topics: Art, Culture, Europe, World

## Key points

- Zelenskyy sacked defence minister Fedorov, triggering rare protests in Ukraine
- Fedorov accused army chief Syrskyi of blocking reforms and dividing the country
- Air force commander resigned in protest; new PM Koretskyi already approved

## Summary

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sparked rare public protests and a political crisis after dismissing reformist defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose removal came amid an open dispute with army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi during Zelenskyy's second cabinet overhaul in a year. Fedorov, a 35-year-old tech expert who had sought to modernise Ukraine's outnumbered military, accused Syrskyi of blocking ministry reforms and "splitting the country" rather than focusing on defeating Russia, while a senior air force commander resigned in protest, calling the dismissal "a great evil" for Ukraine's defence.

More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside Zelenskyy's office in Kyiv chanting "Shame!", with similar demonstrations in other cities, as critics questioned the timing given Ukraine's precarious battlefield position. Energy executive Sergii Koretskyi was approved to lead the new government, with interior minister Ihor Klymenko tipped to take over the defence portfolio, though other ministerial appointments still face uncertain parliamentary votes. The reshuffle comes as Ukraine faces a critical troop shortage and intensifying Russian missile strikes, while the Kremlin said a new government would not affect its stance without a "responsible decision" from Kyiv towards a peace settlement.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.