Ukraine’s Zelenskyy fires his commander in chief after protests and major rift

The firing caps a crisis for Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Ukrainians took to the streets to call for Oleksandr Syrskyi’s resignation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Tuesday, bowing to pressure after the removal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sparked the fiercest leadership crisis of his presidency.

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Zelenskyy announced on Telegram that Mykhailo Drapatyi will replace Syrskyi.

Zelenskyy’s decision to fire Fedorov, one of his closest allies, led to rare wartime protests on the streets of Kyiv. Fedorov publicly aired his disagreements with Syrskyi, known as “The Butcher,” over military strategy.