Ukrainians protest for second day, call to replace army chief

Highlights:

• People rally outside president's office after surprise reshuffle
• Tech wizard defence minister not reappointed
• Protesters demand Syrskyi's dismissal, modern army
• Zelenskiy meets popular military commanders
• Former interior minister tapped for national security post

Protesters in Kyiv called for the dismissal of Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's removal of a popular defence minister sparked outrage and demands for a more modern approach to warfare.

Several thousand people gathered outside the presidential office for a second day after Mykhailo Fedorov, a 35-year-old tech wizard who has been partly credited with Ukraine's recent successes in the war with Russia, was not reappointed in a surprise government reshuffle.

A 27-year-old protester named Andriy, a combat medic who lost his lower limb, came with a cardboard sign saying: "Cannot stand. Will not stay silent".

"Syrskyi had conflicts not only with the defence minister, but also with brigade and corps commanders. If he stays, we will simply be ineffective," said Andriy, whose brother died on the battlefield.

"We could simply lose this war, we could lose," he added.

Zelenskiy provided little explanation for the reshuffle and said he had to step in since the rift between Syrskyi and Fedorov was so deep they would not sit at one table.

On Friday, he tapped Ukraine's former top cop, Ihor Klymenko, to lead the national security and defence council, replacing current Chairman Rustem Umerov.

Klymenko, who had initially been among the names as a likely Fedorov replacement, would be tasked with coordinating "all components of the security and defence sector", including defence production, the president added.

It was unclear whether Umerov, also Ukraine's top negotiator in US-backed peace talks with Russia, would be offered a new post.

A top security operative overseeing Ukraine's long-range strikes against Russia, Yevhenii Khmara, was appointed as acting defence minister as Zelenskiy moved to calm public outrage late on Thursday.

At what cost?

Protesters rallied for a second day outside Zelenskiy's office, chanting "Syrskyi away" and "Bring Fedorov back". Many called for the voices of those currently fighting to be heard.

Fedorov's conflict with Syrskyi came into the open on Thursday after the former defence minister accused the 60-year-old general of sabotaging his work.

Syrskyi, 60, played a key role in Kyiv's defence in the early days of the war and has been in his top post since early 2024. But he has faced harsh criticism for a rigid command style which some service members have said results in high troop losses and for an unwillingness to modernise combat.

Another protester named Nina, whose husband is serving, came to the demonstration for a second day with one-year-old Oleksandr-Carlos. Her first demand was Syrskyi's dismissal.

"The problem isn't so much that Fedorov resigned as it is that Syrskyi remains in office," she said.

The system under the commander-in-chief is more about showcasing results than prioritising people's lives, she said.

"Sure, he deserves some credit, I don't deny that, but at what cost? That's the question. Syrskyi is, after all, the old system," she said.

The protests resembled popular rallies last year at the same location over Zelenskiy's attempts to roll back the powers of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies. He ultimately backtracked on those measures.

Modern army

On Friday, Zelenskiy held online consultations with military commanders. He also met Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, who commands Ukraine's Third Army Corps, to discuss the battlefield situation and defence plans.

In an attempt to show people that Ukraine would not backtrack from reforms introduced by Fedorov, he appointed Serhii Beskrestnov, a former adviser to the defence ministry, as presidential adviser on defence technology.

Kyiv's latest political crisis erupted as Ukrainian forces have begun clawing back the initiative from Russia on the battlefield through long-range strikes on industry and logistics.

Ukraine still faces deep problems in troop recruitment as Russian forces grind forward, as well as in securing enough air defences to repel deadly missile attacks on its cities.

Many Ukrainians believe that victory can only be achieved with technological advances and an army system that abandons the worst practices of the Soviet Union era – a task, they say, impossible to complete under Syrskyi.

Protester Leonid, a 63-year-old veteran, called himself a product of the Soviet army system and agreed:

"They are destroying our army. Maybe at some point he was necessary, but that is it."