Ukraine’s commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, is widely expected to be removed from his position as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to be yielding to public pressure for a significant military leadership reshuffle. For the past five days, protesters have gathered in front of the presidential office in Kyiv, demanding the commander's removal. Demonstrators have used cheese graters as props during the rallies, a pun on the commander’s name, which bears a phonetic similarity to the Ukrainian word for cheese.
While the country’s general staff dismissed media reports on Monday suggesting an immediate firing, they acknowledged that any official dismissal must be enacted through a presidential decree. The general staff maintained that Syrskyi and his deputy, Andriy Hnatov, remain active in their roles. In a statement, the military warned that internal disputes only benefit the enemy, asserting that work is ongoing and results will follow.
The current instability follows reports from Zelenskyy last week confirming that the relationship between Federov and Syrskyi had collapsed. After his own firing, Federov accused Syrskyi of obstructing essential reforms through bureaucratic hurdles and ignoring data in favor of rewarding brigades personally loyal to him. An insider noted that the administration is seeking an experienced military official who can follow presidential directives without harboring independent political ambitions that could create a new internal rival.
On Monday, President Zelenskyy held discussions with potential candidates to replace Syrskyi, including Mykhailo Drapatiy, the head of Ukraine’s joint armed forces, who is known for his 2014 role in breaching a pro-Russian blockade in Mariupol. The meetings were held in the presence of Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara. It remains unclear if Federov will be reinstated—a primary demand of the protesters—or reassigned to a different government role. Organizers have set a Friday deadline for Federov’s return to his post, threatening indefinite protests across the country if their demands are ignored.
Separately, Zelenskyy highlighted recent military successes, noting long-range strikes on Russian logistics, an oil depot, and multiple ships in the Black Sea. He emphasized that these actions are a just response to Russian strikes, stating that ending the war requires increasing pressure on Russia, which he identified as the sole cause of the conflict.
Zelenskyy praised recent long-range Ukrainian strikes on targets in Russia. “They have produced results against logistics facilities and an oil depot. The targets were more than 400km from our border. Two shadow fleet tankers and four cargo ships were also struck in the Black Sea,” he said.
