Kyiv protests erupt as Zelenskyy reshuffles wartime cabinet

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Ivan Franko National Theatre in central Kyiv on Thursday to protest the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The theatre is located close to the presidential office, the site of a significant public protest last July that prompted a reversal of measures affecting Ukraine’s anticorruption agencies. Protesters in the capital, as well as in Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro, carried placards reading “The Russians are celebrating” and chanted “Shame!” while calling for the decision to be reversed.

The dismissal forms part of a wider cabinet reshuffle that also saw Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko leave office. This marks Zelenskyy’s second cabinet reshuffle in a year. The President stated that the move aimed to foster greater unity within the Ministry of Defence and military leadership, appearing to acknowledge reports of tensions between Fedorov and other officials.

Ukraine’s parliament is expected to vote on a new wartime government on Thursday. Lawmakers anticipate that Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko will replace Fedorov as defence minister. Parliament is also expected to approve the appointment of energy executive Serhii Koretskyi as prime minister, along with new defence and foreign ministers.

Fedorov, a 35-year-old former digital transformation minister, outlined his achievements on X following the announcement. He cited disabling “Starlink access for Russian forces” and launching programmes to expand domestic drone production as key successes during his tenure. Supporters credit him with streamlining bureaucracy, introducing a data-driven approach to the war effort, reforming defence procurement, and tackling corruption.

However, the dismissal has drawn sharp criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that Fedorov failed to deliver quickly enough on promises to overhaul military recruitment. His efforts to reform procurement and tackle corruption are said to have won him enemies within parts of the political and military establishment. Fedorov described his time in office as “a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people” before detailing his record on social media.