Zelensky names replacement military chief after mass protests in Ukraine

Open this photo in gallery:People protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to replace Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister in Kyiv on July 18.Thomas Peter/ReutersUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of the armed forces following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities nationwide demanding his removal.Zelensky appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief, according to a statement on social media. “Our shared wish is one – victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace,” Zelensky said.The Ukrainian leader said he made the decision after a series of meetings with military commanders. They began shortly after protests broke out demanding the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, seen by demonstrators as a driver of military modernization, and the removal of Syrskyi, who they said embodied the army’s old, Soviet-style command culture.Open this photo in gallery:Mykhailo Drapaty speaks to journalists at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region in January, 2025.GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty ImagesZelensky thanked Syrskyi for his achievements in Ukraine’s fight against Russia and praised him for the defence of Kyiv and for operations in Kharkiv and Kursk. “I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine’s strong front-line positions,” he said. “I am grateful to Mykhailo Drapatyi for holding that same view.”On Tuesday, Zelensky separately met with Fedorov and offered him what he called a respected position in government that would unify the country’s technology sector. But it wasn’t clear if Fedorov accepted the offer and whether the latest moves would satisfy protesters and bring peace to the streets.