Many Ukrainian soldiers outraged over removal of defence minister, troops tell BBC

What the report says

BBC World News reported from Kyiv that President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision not to reappoint Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s defence minister in a cabinet reshuffle has triggered public protests and anger among some soldiers and wounded veterans. According to the BBC, crowds demonstrated in Kyiv and elsewhere on Thursday after Fedorov’s removal, while several service members who spoke anonymously described the move as deeply demoralising. The BBC said army chiefs had reportedly warned troops against political discussion, making soldiers reluctant to comment openly.

The report said Fedorov, previously known for his digital transformation work, had become associated with military innovation during his brief period at the defence ministry after being appointed in January. Soldiers and analysts cited by the BBC credited him with pushing drone warfare, data-driven procurement, artificial intelligence tools and efforts to cut bureaucracy. The article noted concern among supporters that his departure could slow reforms at a critical stage of the war, despite Zelensky’s assurances that existing programmes would continue.

A central issue, BBC reported, was a breakdown between Fedorov and Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief. Zelensky said the two could no longer work together, while Fedorov blamed Syrskyi for obstructing reforms. Some soldiers quoted by the BBC criticised Syrskyi as representing an older Soviet-style command culture, though another source in the General Staff defended him as an experienced commander with no obvious replacement.

The development matters because Ukraine remains under intense military pressure from Russia and depends heavily on rapid innovation, especially drones and air-defence technologies. The BBC framed the controversy as both a wartime governance dispute and a test of Zelensky’s handling of popular, reform-minded officials.