EditZelenskyy’s self-inflicted wound: the Fedorov fiasco risks undermining Ukraine at its most vulnerable moment
In wartime, leadership demands not just resolve against the enemy, but wisdom and humility at home
In a move that can only be described as a serious strategic blunder, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has triggered the largest street protests in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion. By abruptly removing the popular young reformer Mykhailo Fedorov as Defence Minister, Zelenskyy has not only alienated a significant portion of his own support base but has unleashed a wave of public anger that Ukraine can ill afford while Russian forces continue their brutal assaults on civilian targets.
Protests sweep Ukraine in support of dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov
Thousands have taken to the streets in Kyiv and other cities for days, openly defying martial law to demand Fedorov’s reinstatement and the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. A recent Gradus poll shows a striking 61% of Ukrainians opposed the sacking of the 35-year-old Fedorov, who was widely seen as a modernising force in the defence ministry. The protests expose deep rifts in Ukraine’s military leadership and growing frustration with what critics call Syrskyi’s outdated, Soviet-style command approach and high-casualty tactics.
On Monday, Zelenskyy met a group of younger, battle-hardened commanders – including Mykhailo Drapatyi, Volodymyr Horbatyuk, Oleh Apostol, and others – in what appears to be a damage-control exercise. While these meetings may signal an attempt to refresh the military leadership, they come too late to mask the fundamental error: removing a competent and popular civilian reformer at a time when unity is paramount.
This was a mistake on multiple levels. First, Fedorov represented innovation, technology, and a break from old bureaucratic habits – qualities Ukraine (and Europe) desperately needs. Second, the timing could not be worse. As Russian attacks on civilians intensify, internal division is a luxury Ukraine simply cannot afford. Third, the heavy-handed decision has handed Russian propaganda a gift: images of Ukrainians protesting their own government in wartime.
Zelenskyy now finds himself in a trap of his own making. Protest organisers, including war veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, are calling for an indefinite general protest unless both Syrskyi is removed and Fedorov reinstated by 24 July. Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, has urged calm and claimed “the public’s views have been heard,” but vague promises will not suffice.
The real question is whether Zelenskyy can correct course. He has spoken with Fedorov and reportedly offered him other roles in military innovation, but sources close to the former minister say he is only willing to return as Defence Minister. Is Zelenskyy truly free to reverse his decision, or is he constrained by internal power plays, oligarchic influences, or pressure from within the military establishment? What prevents him from making the obviously correct move – admitting the error and restoring stability – at a moment when national cohesion is a strategic imperative?
In wartime, leadership demands not just resolve against the enemy, but wisdom and humility at home. Zelenskyy still has time to fix- the problem, but every day of delay deepens the damage. Yet there is a silver lining in this turbulent episode: the remarkable strength and vibrancy of Ukraine’s civil society. Even in the midst of war, citizens are willing to take to the streets and hold their leaders accountable – a powerful sign that the nation Vladimir Putin despises and refuses to recognise as sovereign has the democratic vitality and resilience to secure a bright future.
Caption: A Ukrainian holds a cardboard cutout of Mykhailo Fedorov during a protest against his dismissal as defence minister in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, 20 July 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Demonstrators in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demanded Fedorov’s reinstatement and the dismissal of Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
Updated: July 21, 2026 - 06:47
