Ukraine war: inside the longstanding conflict between politicians and military commanders

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi following his earlier removal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov, credited with Ukraine's successful drone strategy, was so popular that his dismissal sparked widespread public protests. Zelensky has appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi to replace Syrskyi. The Conversation UK reports that these personnel changes mask a deeper institutional problem: Ukraine's governance structure, inherited from Soviet law, allows both the defence minister and the military commander-in-chief to report separately to the president. This arrangement lets military leaders bypass civilian oversight—and in wartime, when the military's strategic input becomes critical, the president typically sides with his generals over his civilian ministers. As long as that structure persists, the conflict will resurface regardless of who holds these posts.

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