A few hours after new Russian bombings, hundreds of Ukrainians gathered this Thursday in Kiev, as well as in various cities across the country, to protest against the resignation of the popular Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, as part of the government reshuffle promoted by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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From the capital, Kiev, to the country’s second city, Kharkiv, passing through Lviv, almost spontaneous demonstrations reflected the deep discontent of the Ukrainian population, who demand the return of Mykhailo Fedorov, reports our correspondent in Kharkiv, Emmanuelle Chaze.
Some protesters blame the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, for his departure. According to rumors, the two had a poor relationship due to the numerous reforms undertaken by the Defense Minister and the dismissals he carried out within the ministry. Others carried banners urging the Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament, to reject the proposed appointments of new ministers presented by the president.
Considered a reformer of the Ukrainian Army and a strong advocate for the incorporation of new technologies on the front to save soldiers’ lives, Mykhailo Fedorov, appointed Defense Minister last January, announced on Wednesday night that he was leaving the position.
His tenure at the head of Defense lasted barely six months, but his departure has caused shock even within the presidential majority. During that time, he managed to get the Starlink internet system to block access to Russian troops.
In the statement announcing his departure from the government, he also highlighted the development of drone production and use, as well as the start of a broad reform of the Army, especially its contract system, a measure he described as “unpopular, but absolutely necessary.”
With that reform, Mykhailo Fedorov had begun to transform the military equipment procurement system to avoid fraud and had dismissed numerous controversial figures within his ministry. As he himself acknowledged, he could not go as far as he intended, but that was enough to irritate even the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
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This announcement comes after the Ukrainian Parliament approved, on Tuesday, July 14, the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, requested by the Ukrainian president, who had announced on Sunday a government reshuffle to accompany a change in “political strategy.”
Appointed at 35 years old, Mykhailo Fedorov was the youngest Defense Minister in Ukraine’s history. He took office with the mission of giving new momentum to Kiev’s war effort after four years of Russian invasion. He was one of the first advocates of the increasing use of drones, which have become an indispensable tool on the front. “We have acquired more drones in four months than during the entire previous year,” he stated in his statement.
For many Ukrainians, Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to dispense with a Mykhailo Fedorov who had become one of the most popular ministers in the government is difficult to justify. It also worries anti-corruption activists, such as Martina Boguslabets, director of the anti-corruption NGO Mezha: “I oppose the dismissal of the minister who managed to block Starlink access for the Russians and the fact that Volodymyr Zelensky wants to appoint the current Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, who leads one of the most corrupt structures in the country, as Defense Minister in his place.”
As happened last summer, when the government tried to limit the independence of anti-corruption agencies, the departure of Mykhailo Fedorov, a minister considered innovative and effective by most Ukrainians, is seen as a step backward.
The popular mobilization recalls that of last summer, triggered after the government’s attempt to silence anti-corruption agencies. This time, the population fears that a minister perceived as honest and very effective has been removed precisely because of his popularity and that the country will again fall into the hands of a more traditional sector at a critical moment for Ukraine’s defense.
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