Zelensky tries to fix crisis over removal of defence minister and counts the cost

What the report says

BBC World News reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is still facing political fallout from his 15 July decision not to reappoint Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister during a cabinet reshuffle. Although Zelensky has installed an acting defence minister and named Maj Gen Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new commander-in-chief, protests by Fedorov’s largely young supporters have continued in Ukrainian cities, with demonstrators calling for his return.

According to the BBC, Fedorov has rejected alternative government roles offered by Zelensky, arguing that only the defence ministry, the military command or the presidency would give him meaningful influence over the war. The report said that remark has intensified speculation about whether Fedorov could become a political rival to Zelensky, though Ukraine is under martial-law conditions and wartime elections are not scheduled.

Zelensky’s supporters told the BBC that the president consulted widely before appointing Drapatyi, a younger military figure described as battle-tested and modern. The choice has been broadly welcomed, but the BBC reported that it has not fully defused anger over Fedorov’s removal. Some analysts and politicians quoted by the broadcaster said the reshuffle appeared intended to limit Fedorov’s rising profile, while others argued his public reputation may overstate any one individual’s role in Ukraine’s defence innovation.

The dispute matters because it comes as Ukraine remains under Russian attack and prepares for another winter of pressure on its energy infrastructure. The BBC said interviewees generally did not expect major battlefield setbacks from the crisis, but warned that the episode has dented Zelensky’s authority at a sensitive moment.