Protests in Ukraine after Zelenski's decision. Thousands have gone out on the streets

Thousands of people went to the streets of Kiev and another Ukrainian cities, protesting the decision of president Volodymyr Zelenski to dismiss Minister of Defence Mikhail Fedorov. According to the Ukrainian fact portal, at Ivan Franki Square in Kiev, close the seat of the President's Chancellery, at least respective 100 demonstrators gathered.

The protesters brought banners with slogans calling for Fedorov to be reinstated and criticizing the authorities' decision. They accused the president of replacing effective ministers with people more loyal to his surroundings.

Zelenski's Explanations

A wave of discontent broke out after Zelenski's Wednesday decision to resign the Minister of Defence. The president acknowledged that he understood the public's reaction and stressed that citizens have the full right to express their opinions.

Explaining the reasons for Fedorov's appeal, Zelenski pointed to the increasing conflict between the Minister and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander of Syria. As he pointed out, the cooperation between the Defence Ministry and the General Staff was severely hampered, and deficiency of communication between the 2 institutions required his individual intervention. At the same time, he assured that he would stay a associate of his squad despite leaving the Ministry of Fedrow.

According to Reuters, the president of Ukraine has not yet made a final decision on the fresh head of the Ministry of Defence. Among possible candidates is the current Home Minister Ihor Kłymenko, but his candidacy has not yet been formally presented to Parliament.

He was developing armed forces.

35-year-old Mikhail Fedov, who previously led the Ministry of Digital Transformation, was liable for the modernization of Ukrainian armed forces, the improvement of military technologies and unmanned systems, and the digitisation of processes in the Ministry of Defence.

Supporters attribute him to improving the functioning of the resort, reducing bureaucracy and speeding up drone production and implementing modern solutions. Critics accused him, on the another hand, of besides slow a pace of reforms concerning the mobilisation system.