San Francisco Frontiers - Protests erupt across Ukraine against defence minister's ouster

Fedorov issued a stunning public rebuke of Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky, accusing him of dividing the country and of presenting Zelensky with an ultimatum to secure his removal, after months of clashes over military reform.

AFP reporters in Kyiv saw more than a thousand people gathered on a central square, singing Ukraine's national anthem, waving Ukrainian and European Union flags and chanting "shame" and "bring Fedorov back".

Appointed just six months ago, Fedorov carved a reputation as a moderniser who tried to reform the Ukrainian military, which has seen scandals and is plagued by fatigue and manpower shortages more than four years into Russia's invasion.

He had spearheaded digitisation, open procurement and the development of drones -- but, according to media reports, his methods had brought him into frequent clashes with the army's top brass.

His removal risks throwing uncertainty into the military at a time when Ukraine is in one of its best positions in the war for months, having halted the pace of Russia's advance and regularly pounding Russian oil and military sites with long-range drones.

At a press conference in Kyiv, wearing a black T-shirt and speaking in front of a screen showing pictures of drones, Fedorov lashed out at army boss Syrsky.

"Instead of figuring out how to defeat Russia asymmetrically -- which is the commander-in-chief's task -- he figured out how to split the country," Fedorov told reporters, including AFP.

- 'Win the war' -

Fedorov alleged Syrsky issued an ultimatum to force his removal, and questioned whether Ukraine could defeat Russia with him in charge of the military.

"In this configuration, I personally don't know how to win the war."

Analysts said Zelensky had backed his trusted army chief over an outsider defence minister at a key moment of the war.

And Fedorov's backers cast the removal as retribution for trying to shake up the system and weeding out graft.

"He fell out with various generals and with different drone suppliers. In other words, he really did start implementing many useful reforms that threatened certain vested interests," said political analyst Anatoliy Oktysiuk.

He added that Zelensky had "undermined himself politically" by moving against Fedorov.

The deputy commander of Ukraine's air force, Pavlo Yelizarov, also resigned in protest at Fedorov's removal.

- 'Slap in the face' -

At the protest in Kyiv, young people rallied behind Fedorov's attempts to overhaul the military, which has been hit by recruitment and mobilisation scandals, as well as fatigue after more than four years of war with no end in sight.

"I believe that his dismissal is a slap in the face of the Ukrainian people," Vlada Roman, a 30-year-old business owner, told AFP.

She said she hoped Zelensky would row back on the decision, criticising the Ukrainian leader as being "afraid of effective people".

"After today's rally, he'll change his mind, I hope."

Local media reported protests in several other cities, including Lviv, Odesa and Dnipro.

Protests are relatively rare in wartime Ukraine, which has seen society rally behind the military and, mostly, Zelensky.

As the war has dragged on, however, major corruption allegations against Zelensky's inner circle and scandals in the military, particularly over recruitment and the treatment of conscripts, have triggered episodes of public outcry.

Under Fedorov, Ukraine significantly increased soldiers' salaries and outlined plans to allow for phased demobilisation, providing relief for soldiers fighting at the front.

Many Ukrainians also worried how the changes would be seen among Kyiv's key Western backers.

The EU ambassador to Ukraine on Thursday hailed Fedorov as being behind a "victory in cognitive warfare".

Current interior minister Igor Klymenko is seen as the most likely replacement -- though it is unclear whether there will be enough votes in parliament to appoint him.

Ukraine's parliament also on Thursday confirmed Sergiy Koretsky, the head of state energy company Naftogaz, as the country's new prime minister.

H.King--SFF