Protesters Give Zelensky Until Friday to Replace Ukraine's Army Chief

Public demonstrations in Ukraine have entered a new phase as protesters intensify pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky over recent changes in the country's military leadership. Another rally was held in Kyiv on July 20, with organizers demanding that former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov be restored to his post and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi removed instead. According to veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, one of the organizers, protesters have given the government until Friday to respond before deciding whether to resume demonstrations after a planned three-day pause.

“We've actually set a deadline of Friday for our demands to be met,” Koziatynskyi said. “Today's event is not a protest - it's an action focused on our demands. Then there will be a three-day pause until Friday. And if our demand is met by Friday, we'll stop.”

The protests began after Zelensky dismissed Fedorov during a Cabinet reshuffle. Since July 16, thousands of people have gathered daily in Kyiv, while smaller demonstrations have spread to other Ukrainian cities. Many participants, including active-duty soldiers and veterans, argue that removing one of the country's most popular ministers could undermine ongoing reforms at the Defense Ministry while leaving broader concerns about military leadership unresolved.

According to people familiar with the discussions, Zelensky has offered Fedorov another position focused on military technology and modernization projects within the ministry. However, the former minister is reportedly unwilling to accept any role other than returning as defense minister. One source said “it is important for Fedorov to continue all the projects he started.” During his time at the ministry, Fedorov led several high-profile defense reforms and initiatives designed to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities.

Attention has increasingly shifted to the strained relationship between Fedorov and Syrskyi, whose disagreements reportedly reflected fundamentally different approaches to military management. Critics have long accused Syrskyi of relying on a highly centralized command system influenced by Soviet military doctrine, with frequent complaints from soldiers and analysts about excessive micromanagement and an outdated command culture.

Amid growing political pressure, Zelensky is reportedly considering replacing Syrskyi. According to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next commander-in-chief. One source said Syrskyi could leave his post within days, while another indicated that the president is reviewing a list of 11 possible successors and has not yet reached a final decision.

The president has recently held meetings with several senior military leaders as part of that process. Zelensky confirmed that he met with Drapatyi twice over two days, while also holding discussions with Air Assault Forces Commander Oleh Apostol, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Volodymyr Horbatiuk, Third Army Corps Commander Andriy Biletsky, Khartiia Corps Commander Ihor Obolienskyi, and Azov Corps Commander Denys Prokopenko.

For the first time since the controversy began, Syrskyi publicly addressed reports of a personal conflict with Fedorov, rejecting claims that their disagreements had become a damaging feud. Writing in Militarnyi, he described their relationship as professional despite differences over policy.

“It is hard work, not the public drama surrounding it, that wins the war,” Syrskyi wrote. He added, “Ukraine is greater than Fedorov, Syrskyi, or any one of us. Reducing this war to a confrontation between two individuals is the greatest favor we could do for the enemy.”

Syrskyi also defended his military record. Rejecting accusations that he opposed expanding the use of drones, he noted that he had initiated the creation of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces and personally recommended its current commander, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi. “A person who 'doesn't want to fight with drones' doesn't create the world's first separate branch of unmanned systems,” he said.

The commander-in-chief also criticized several reforms introduced during Fedorov's tenure. He argued that only around 2,000 service members had signed the new military contracts introduced more than a month earlier and said many soldiers had become disappointed after expecting different conditions. Syrskyi further insisted that soldiers' salaries should not be redirected to other priorities after part of the payroll budget had reportedly been transferred to drone procurement.

As public attention turns toward possible successors, Drapatyi has become the most prominent figure among demonstrators. Every evening, protesters in central Kyiv have reportedly chanted his name while calling for leadership changes. The 44-year-old major general is widely respected within the Ukrainian military for his leadership style, which emphasizes consultation with subordinate commanders, accountability, and institutional reform rather than centralized control.

Drapatyi publicly praised Fedorov's work shortly after his dismissal, saying the former defense minister had tried to change long-standing practices within the armed forces. “The military needs change, but without justice, no change will make sense to the people who carry this war on their shoulders every day,” he wrote. He also argued that commanders have a responsibility to speak openly about problems. “A commander has no right to remain silent about problems, especially when their cost is measured in lost opportunities, time, and human lives.”

Military analysts describe Drapatyi as one of Ukraine's most capable operational commanders. Since assuming responsibility for operations in the Kharkiv region during 2025, Ukrainian forces regained territory around Kupiansk after previously coming under heavy Russian pressure. Earlier, he commanded the Dnipro operational grouping before leading the Ground Forces and later taking charge of the newly created Joint Forces command overseeing northeastern front-line operations.

Rob Lee of the Foreign Policy Research Institute said brigade commanders consistently described Drapatyi as a leader who sought input from subordinate officers instead of simply issuing orders. According to Lee, “Given his experience, reputation, and emphasis on reforms, Drapatyi would be an excellent choice as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.”

Drapatyi's military career began after graduating from the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Forces in 2004. During Russia's proxy war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, he gained national recognition after leading the operation in which an armored vehicle from his battalion broke through barricades in Mariupol, helping restore Ukrainian control over the city. Following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, he played an important role in halting Russian advances toward Kryvyi Rih and later participated in the liberation of Kherson. His organization of Ukraine's response during the Russian offensive in Kharkiv in 2024 further strengthened his reputation.

His public image was also shaped by his willingness to accept responsibility. In June 2025, Drapatyi resigned as commander of the Ground Forces following a Russian missile strike on a military training ground that killed 12 Ukrainian soldiers. “This is a deliberate step dictated by my personal sense of responsibility,” he said at the time, arguing that commanders must remain accountable for the lives of their troops. “An army in which commanders are personally responsible for the lives of people is alive. An army where no one is responsible for the losses is dying from within.”

As Zelensky weighs his next move, pressure continues to build from lawmakers, veterans, military personnel, and protesters who believe the future direction of Ukraine's armed forces depends not only on personnel changes but also on the broader leadership culture guiding the military.