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

What the report says

BBC News reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing continuing political fallout after his 15 July decision not to reappoint Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister during a cabinet reshuffle. Although Ukraine now has an acting defence minister and a new military commander-in-chief, protests by Fedorov’s mostly young supporters have continued in Kyiv and other cities, with demonstrators calling for his return.

According to the BBC, Fedorov has rejected alternative government posts offered by Zelensky, arguing that only a few roles carry enough authority to shape the war effort. The report said his removal has prompted speculation about whether he could become a political rival to the president, though Ukraine has no elections scheduled while martial wartime restrictions remain in place. Some lawmakers and analysts quoted by the BBC said Zelensky may have misread public sentiment, especially among younger Ukrainians who see Fedorov as a symbol of innovation and anti-corruption politics.

Zelensky has also replaced the unpopular commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, with Maj Gen Mykhailo Drapatyi, a move the BBC said has been broadly welcomed but has not fully defused the dispute. Supporters of the president argue he consulted widely before making the appointment, while critics say the handling of Fedorov’s dismissal has weakened Zelensky’s political standing.

The episode matters because it comes as Ukraine continues to fight Russia’s invasion and prepares for further pressure on its energy system before winter. The BBC reported that officials and experts generally do not expect the political row to cause major battlefield setbacks, but said it has tested Ukraine’s wartime institutions and Zelensky’s authority.