Ukraine is in a dangerous moment because of a decision by President Volodymyr Zelensky that can only benefit Russia, Sky News reported.
Protests have erupted in cities across the country in Ukraine over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Zelensky fired the young and popular minister, thus siding with the head of the ZSU, Oleksandr Syrsky, after months of tension between the two camps.
But the move has sparked rare street protests in cities across Ukraine and - perhaps more worryingly for the president and the military chief - is causing anxiety in the ranks of army.
Officers sided with Fedorov, described as a young reformer who stood up to the “old guard“ in the person of Syrsky – a commander trained in the Soviet era. The deputy chief of the Ukrainian Air Force even resigned, saying: “I believe that the removal of Mykhailo Fedorov is a great evil for the country's defense capabilities“.
Ukrainian media also sharply criticized Zelensky. The “Times“ newspaper quoted Vitaly Sich, editor-in-chief of the popular website NV. He wrote: “In difficult moments, Zelensky behaves like a hero. But we should not forget that difficult moments are often caused by his idiotic decisions“.
There was also speculation in the media that the president's decision was partly fueled by concerns that Fedorov, 35, is becoming increasingly popular and could become a political rival.
Fedorov, previously the minister of digital transformation, has been in Zelensky's government from the start. In January, he became Ukraine's youngest defense minister. In the past six months, Ukrainian forces have made significant gains on the battlefield thanks to the evolution of drone warfare that he helped to bring about.
The former minister was already well-regarded by the military and Ukraine's Western allies, particularly the United Kingdom. Yet behind closed doors, tensions were growing between him and Syrsky, 60, who led the defense of Kiev in the early days of Russia's full-scale war but was criticized for not adapting quickly enough to the changing nature of the conflict.
In a highly unusual move, Fedorov decided to voice his displeasure publicly, confirming at a briefing that he had asked Zelensky to turn his back on Syrsky. When The president refused, Fedorov said he tried to work with the general, but "we faced the fact that all the initiatives we proposed began to be blocked." He then accused Syrsky of putting personal interests before national interests. Fedorov even accused Syrsky of fomenting intrigue.
"Instead of figuring out how to defeat Russia, which is the job of the commander-in-chief, he figured out how to divide the country we are in today. And that is a fundamental problem," Fedorov said. Syrsky responded with a relatively brief post on social media, thanking Fedorov for his time as defense minister and wishing him to remain "on Team Ukraine."
The public dispute has been extremely destabilizing for Zelensky as he tries to reorganize his government. Russian attacks have continued while Kiev relies on Western weapons and air defense systems to fend them off. repel.
The protests were mainly attended by young people, who chanted “Fedorov!” and made harsh remarks about his potential successor as minister, General Syrsky. “Syrsky, go away!” and “A European army for a European country!” were some of the other slogans chanted by the demonstrators, Reuters reported.
According to Western officials and analysts, the Ukrainian armed forces have rallied under Fedorov’s leadership and have managed to slow the advance of Russian troops along the front line to a near-total standstill, AP noted. Another success of Fedorov’s leadership has been the strikes on energy facilities deep inside Russian territory, which have caused fuel shortages in Russia. Many are shocked by Zelensky’s decision to fire Fedorov despite these success.
Zelensky yesterday assigned the acting director of the Security Service of Ukraine, Yevgeny Khmara, to temporarily head the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense until his official approval by parliament as the holder of the post.