# Many Ukrainian soldiers outraged over removal of defence minister, troops tell BBC

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/many-ukrainian-soldiers-outraged-over-removal-of-defence-minister-troops-tell-bbc/
- Published: 2026-07-17T19:04:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-21T10:14:51+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC World (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg8w4dpjkwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Europe, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Zelensky's removal of defence minister Fedorov angers many soldiers
- Fedorov credited with driving drone and military tech innovation
- Protests erupted in Kyiv; some troops doubt they'll change anything

## Summary

Ukrainian soldiers have expressed anger to the BBC over President Zelensky's decision not to reappoint defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a cabinet reshuffle, sparking street protests in Kyiv. Fedorov, previously Minister for Digital Transformation, was widely credited among troops with driving military innovation, particularly the expansion of drone warfare and technology-led reforms that helped Ukraine make gains against Russia's larger forces.

Soldiers who spoke to the BBC, some under pseudonyms due to army chiefs discouraging political comment, described the removal as a "slap in the face" to service members, with one wounded soldier saying his recovery would feel meaningless without Fedorov's reinstatement. Fedorov was noted for schemes such as "Army of Drones: Bonus", which rewarded frontline units for destroying Russian personnel and equipment, seen as speeding up procurement and innovation. Some soldiers pointed to friction with the old-guard military hierarchy, including commander-in-chief Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, as a factor behind his exit, while others noted that frontline realities, such as recent rocket attacks, left little time to focus on political protests.

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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.