Zelenskyy under growing pressure to reinstate sacked defence minister

Key Points:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces mounting pressure to reinstate sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, with protesters vowing indefinite nationwide demonstrations until he is returned to his post.
• Zelenskyy recently fired Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as new head of the armed forces, but Fedorov has rejected a deputy prime minister role, insisting on resuming his defence minister position.
• Protesters plan a rally outside Zelenskyy’s presidential office in Kyiv, signaling ongoing political unrest, while Zelenskyy’s military leadership reshuffle reflects a generational clash between modernisers and traditionalists.
• Drapatyi’s appointment has been positively received by Ukrainian officials and veterans, though challenges remain, including potential Russian mobilisation after September elections and intensifying offensive operations.
• The Kremlin downplayed the impact of Drapatyi’s appointment on the conflict, with Russian officials stating it will not change frontline dynamics amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale offensive.