The Ukrainians want Fedorov back

 

The Ukrainians want Fedorov back

Thousands of Ukrainians have taken to the streets in nationwide protests demanding the immediate reinstatement of popular former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The widespread demonstrations, which have gripped cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv, represent a rare and major political crisis for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the war.

The Root of the Protests

• The Sacking: President Zelenskyy dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov following an intense administrative schism between the tech-savvy minister and the military's entrenched high command.
• The Contrast: Protesters view Fedorov as a modern, forward-thinking leader who successfully transformed Ukraine’s asymmetric drone warfare. Conversely, they heavily criticized the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, labeling him a "Soviet-era" commander who accepted unnecessarily high infantry losses.
• Soldiers' Demands: Beyond drones, frontline troops favored Fedorov because he aggressively lobbied for fixed-term mobilization contracts and guaranteed rest periods.

According to the CS Monitor, “Mr. Fedorov, dismissed last week after just six months in office by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy... has been a key architect of Ukraine's aggressive campaign of deep-strike drone and cruise missile attacks inside Russia.”

Zelenskyy's Partial Concession

In an effort to defuse public anger and fulfill one of the protesters' chief demands, President Zelenskyy bowed to pressure and sacked Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, replacing him with the widely respected Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi. Additionally, Zelenskyy attempted to appease the public by offering Fedorov alternative senior government roles, including an expanded mandate inside the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) and a role as Deputy Prime Minister for Technological Development.

Why the Unrest Continues

Despite the removal of General Syrskyi, campaign organizers and civil society groups have explicitly stated that their goal is only half-achieved.

• All-or-Nothing Stance: Fedorov has reportedly rejected all alternative government offers from Zelenskyy. He maintains that he will only return to the state apparatus if he is restored to his exact post as Defense Minister to finish his modernization reforms. 
• Indefinite Rallies: Because Zelenskyy has already appointed Yevhenii Khmara as the acting Defense Minister, organizers have warned that the Ukrainian public will transition to an open-ended, indefinite nationwide protest until Fedorov is officially brought back to his post.

As reported by The Guardian, “Fedorov has reportedly turned down the post of deputy prime minister for technological development. Instead, he wants to be reinstated as defence minister, arguing that it is the only way of implementing his ambitious plan for modernising and reforming Ukraine's army.