Zelenskyy replaces military leader and brings back defence minister he sacked

Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov will be given a prominent role, according to Zelenskyy Photograph: Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov will be given a prominent role, according to Zelenskyy Photograph: Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images Zelenskyy replaces military leader and brings back defence minister he sacked Mykhailo Drapati new head of the armed forces as Mykhailo Fedorov returns to government after mass protests Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired Ukraine’s commander in chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and offered a “prominent position” to the defence minister he sacked last week in a move that sparked nationwide protests . In a late-night TV address, Zelenskyy said he was appointing Mykhailo Drapati, a popular and innovative general, as the new head of Ukraine’s armed forces. Drapati would oversee a reorganisation of the army’s command structure, Ukraine’s president said. Zelenskyy said he was bringing Mykhailo Fedorov back into government after his removal as defence minister prompted thousands of people to demonstrate in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, in one of the biggest political crises since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Ukraine’s president paid tribute to Syrskyi and credited him with leading the defence of Kyiv and launching a counter-invasion of Russia’s Kursk province in summer 2024, in which foreign tanks rolled on to Russian territory for the first time since the second world war. View image in fullscreen Zelensky with Syrskyi at the handover of drone missiles to the Ukrainian army in Kyiv in December 2024. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA 1:32 Why Ukrainians are protesting against Zelenskyy's dismissal of defence minister – video “We have come a long way. The defence of Ukraine continues. And every soldier deserves to be treated with respect,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he was grateful to Syrskyi and to “every one of our soldiers” fighting on the frontline. The Guardian view on Ukraine’s challenges, inside and out: tensions at home arise from the struggle against Russia | Editorial Read more Zelenskyy will be hoping that his radical reshuffle of the army’s leadership will assuage protesters who have taken to the streets demanding Syrskyi’s removal. They had given a deadline of Friday for Fedorov to be reinstated and promised “indefinite protests” if their request was ignored. Fedorov welcomed Drapati’s appointment. “This brings a breath of fresh air and new hope to the struggle of free people for freedom and justice. It is a voice for change that could not be ignored,” he said. He added: “The high expectations of the Ukrainian people must be met with a clear vision for ending the war for independence, a strong team and decisive actions aimed at saving the lives of our soldiers, automating the front line, delivering asymmetric strikes and crippling the Russian economy.” Ukraine war briefing: Russia behind deadly strike on cargo ship, says Ukraine, as Putin thanks North Ko