A political crisis in Ukraine over the future of army chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi has deepened, following President Zelensky's decision last week to dismiss the popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Organisers of daily protests in Kyiv, held near the presidential palace, have threatened to launch an open-ended nationwide protest if Syrskyi is not dismissed and Fedorov nominated as defence minister by Friday 24 July. The dispute matters because it exposes tension between Ukraine's political and military leadership at a critical point in the war, with officials warning that internal division only benefits Russia.

Over the weekend, rumours swirled that Syrskyi had been or was about to be sacked, forcing the General Staff to issue a denial, while another report suggested Fedorov had turned down an offer of a different government role. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the president's office, urged calm and acknowledged public anger, while Syrskyi, 60, published a lengthy defence of his record, denying any personal rift with the 35-year-old Fedorov and arguing that decisions on procurement and mobilisation were more complex than protest slogans suggested.