The Chonkerton

Ukrainians protest and Z-bloggers celebrate after Zelensky fires the defense minister who cut Russia off from Starlink and flooded the front with drones

politics

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has been dismissed after holding the role since January, according to Meduza. The abrupt move stems from clashes between Fedorov and Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine's commander in chief — two figures Zelensky said could not work together despite his efforts to maintain both. The dismissal sparked protests across multiple Ukrainian cities, with demonstrators calling for Fedorov's reinstatement. Fedorov, who had become known for modernizing Ukraine's drone capabilities and cutting Russian forces' access to Starlink terminals, will remain on Zelensky's team, though his exact new role is still to be announced.

Source: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/07/17/ukrainians-protes...

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