Row escalates in Ukraine over army chief's future

Image source, Reuters Image caption, The role of Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, has been part of the country's rumour mill By Paul Adams Diplomatic correspondent , Reporting from Kyiv Published 21 minutes ago As discussions continue to resolve the crisis caused by President Zelensky's decision last week to part ways with Ukraine's popular Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, those organising daily protests in support of the minister have issued a threat. "If, by Friday July 24th [commander-in-chief Oleksandr] Syrskyi has not been dismissed and Federov has not been nominated for the post of Minister of Defence," army veteran Dmytro Koziatynsky wrote on social media, "we will begin an open-ended nationwide protest." No protests are currently scheduled before then. Ukraine is waiting, anxiously, for a resolution. Over the weekend, the news was full of reports of meetings and discussions, as Zelensky consulted ministers and generals. Amid a welter of rumours, the General Staff was forced to deny reports that Gen Syrskyi was about to be – or even had already been – sacked. Another report suggested that Fedorov had refused an offer to return to a different position in government. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the president's office, urged Ukrainians to remain calm. "The situation surrounding the latest internal changes has caused strong emotions," he wrote on Tuesday. With the noisy calls of angry protesters echoing around the tight confines of Ivana Franka Square, within earshot of the presidential palace, Budanov said the government was taking note. "I understand people who express their position…..The position of society has been heard." Image source, EPA/Shutterstock Image caption, Protesters hold signs which say 'Fedorov is the defence minister', 'Don't mess with what works', 'Hands off Fedorov' and 'Bring Fedorov back' in central Kyiv on Saturday With large numbers of demonstrators directing their anger towards Gen. Syrskyi – seen by many as representing outdated Soviet-era military doctrines, Budanov, a former head of military intelligence, warned people "not to hate anyone". "The enemy is closely monitoring our every internal dispute and is waiting for us to start fighting among ourselves," he wrote. "The work is underway. There will be results." On Monday, the beleaguered but usually silent 60-year-old Gen Syrskyi hit back against his critics, publishing a long defence of his record and urging readers not to focus on his widely-reported rivalry with 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorov. Despite Zelensky's claim last week that the two men could not even bear to sit in the same room, Syrskyi said it had been a surprise to learn that he had a conflict with the minister. "I perceived our relationship as a working one," he wrote in an op-ed for the Militarny website. "If I offended anyone, Mykhailo Albertovych [Fedorov], I'm sorry." The general said the issues of military contracts, procurement and mobilisation currently being aired in t