Thousands of people gathered in Kyiv on Friday to protest the dismissal of Ukraine’s popular defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced him amid a contentious government reshuffle. The demonstrations, marking the second consecutive day of protests, saw participants waving Ukrainian flags and holding placards showing support for Fedorov.

Fedorov’s tenure, which lasted less than six months, was marked by efforts to modernize and digitize the Ukrainian military, which has been engaged in combat operations against Russian forces since 2022. His initiatives included boosting military salaries, launching plans for partial demobilization, and implementing incentive programs modeled on game-like rewards for military units with high combat effectiveness.

However, Fedorov frequently clashed with Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, particularly over bureaucratic inertia and strategic management. Following his forced resignation, Fedorov publicly criticized Syrsky, accusing him of fostering division within the country’s military leadership. He also questioned whether Ukraine could successfully counter the Russian invasion under Syrsky’s command.

President Zelensky acknowledged the internal discord, remarking that the conflict between the defense minister and the military commander created a difficult situation for leadership during wartime. “A president in wartime should not have to choose in such a situation, honestly,” Zelensky said. “I would very much like unity.”

After announcing Fedorov’s removal on Thursday, Zelensky appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, head of Ukraine’s State Security Service (SBU), as the acting defense minister. The decision sparked immediate protests in Kyiv, where around a thousand demonstrators gathered on Thursday, as well as in other Ukrainian cities.

The protests reflect broader challenges facing Ukraine’s leadership as it seeks to maintain cohesion and effectiveness within its military command amid ongoing conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how best to address bureaucratic bottlenecks and unify the chain of command to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities.