Zelensky fires head of Ukraine military

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who served as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.

The firing was made under pressure from citizens who protested in cities around the country to change top military leadership.

For protestors, Syrskyi represented an older style of leadership with one protester referring to him as “the butcher-commander-in-chief.”

Protestors had two key demands: dismiss Syrskyi and reappoint former Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov.

In a post on X, President Zelensky announced a military restructure, stating he and his staff, “determined how the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be reconfigured.”

Syrskyi was replaced by Mykhalio Drapatyi, a former Defense Minister, who rose to prominence for his fights against Russian forces in the last decade. Protestors reportedly prefer Drapatyi as the head of the military because of his modernization efforts.

For the protestor’s second demand, President Zelensky has reportedly offered a new role to Fedorov. This has caused some protestors to question the current Ukrainian administration on why Fedorov has not been reinstated.

“The Ministry needs reforms, and with Syrskyi’s dismissal, the conflict between the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff has also disappeared, so I see no reasons not to return Fedorov to his position,” Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a protest leader and veteran, stated in a post on X.

The architect of Ukraine’s wartime defense technology was fired earlier this week in a surprise move, which first sparked the protests in the country’s capital Kyiv.

Fedorov was reportedly fired over his clashes with other top military officials in his efforts to change the military structure.

Drapayti reflects a popular view in Ukraine to prioritize the use of technology and is backed by Fedorov.

“This is a breath of fresh air and a new source of hope in the fight of free people for freedom and justice. It is the voice of change that could no longer be ignored,” Fedorov wrote in a post on X, welcoming the appointment of Syrskyi.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.