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Mass protests in Ukraine after Zelensky sacks popular defence minister | BBC News
Posted
July 16, 2026
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July 16, 2026
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3:03Now PlayingThe surprise removal by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's of the popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has caused an outburst of anger and mass protests.
A crowd of mostly young people gathered in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities holding banners reading "Hands off Fedorov" and "Stop sabotaging victory!" and chanting "Shame!".
Fedorov, who was appointed in January, is seen as the architect of the recent success of Ukraine in carrying out drone attacks deep inside Russia.
Zelensky has put forward Major General Yevhenii Khmara, the acting head of the Security Service, as acting defence minister.
Zelensky said: "Khmara has gained extensive and, in many respects, unprecedented experience with technological combat operations.”
Rumours that Fedorov's removal was related to tensions between him and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi were all but confirmed by both Fedorov and Zelensky.
Fedorov said he had suggested to Zelensky that Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov should be replaced.
Zelensky said that conflict between the General Staff and the defence ministry had been "systemic" and said that Syrskyi and Fedorov would only work together with his mediation.
Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Paul Adams in Kyiv.
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