Political crisis and protests in Ukraine as Zelenskyy defends sacking defence minister

A protest against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov in Lviv on Thursday. Photograph: Mykola Tys/EPA View image in fullscreen A protest against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov in Lviv on Thursday. Photograph: Mykola Tys/EPA Political crisis and protests in Ukraine as Zelenskyy defends sacking defence minister President says he had to choose ‘one side or the other’ after breakdown of relations between ministry and military leaders Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has defended his decision to dismiss the country’s popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov , and confirmed reports that relations had broken down between the ministry and the country’s top army leadership. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv with the British prime minister, Keir Starmer , Zelenskyy said there had been a “challenging dialogue” between Fedorov – widely seen as a reformist and moderniser – and the military’s commander in chief, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine’s defence minister on eve of Starmer visit Read more “I would very much like to see unity. The sides have not found it. And the problem lies not only with the sides, but with me as well,” Zelenskyy said. “But things are as they are. And in such a situation, you have a choice: either one side or the other.” He has appointed the acting head of Ukraine’s security service, Yevhenii Khmara, as acting defence minister and asked parliament to approve him in the position. Zelenskyy’s decision to back Syrskyi has outraged civil society and dismayed Ukraine’s foreign partners. More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside the presidential office in Kyiv on Thursday, carrying placards in support of Fedorov. One read: “For what?”. Another said: “Is your head screwed on?” There were loud chants of “Syrskyi out”. It was only the second time since Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion that large numbers of people have taken to the streets in anti-government protests. A year ago, Zelenskyy’s decision – later reversed – to close two anti-corruption agencies provoked a similar backlash. View image in fullscreen Protesters gathered in Kyiv on Thursday to demonstrate against the removal of Mykhailo Fedorov as the defence minister. Photograph: Viktor Fridshon/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images The growing domestic political crisis overshadowed Starmer’s farewell visit to Kyiv, ahead of his departure on Monday from Downing Street. The two leaders laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance before holding one-on-one talks in the garden of the presidential palace, sitting together in a shady corner. At a joint press conference, Zelenskyy awarded Starmer the Order of Freedom, Ukraine’s highest foreign honour. Starmer, who appeared to be close to tears, gave Zelenskyy a framed Ukrainian flag that had hung above Downing Street in February 2022 as Russian tanks rolled towards Kyiv. Starmer said he would soon depart the political stage but “the support of the United Kingdom for this course will never change”. He