Zelensky fires defense minister credited with beefing up Ukraine’s successful drone strategy — sparking protests

Protests broke out across Ukraine Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his defense minister to allegedly appease his top military general, with troops warning that the political spat could spell doom in the front lines.

Zelensky’s Wednesday night decision to fire the tech-savvy Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, resulted in demonstrations across the country and even the resignation of a senior air force commander.

While he was only appointed in January, Fedorov has been credited for accelerating the Ukrainian drone program, which has decimated Russia’s forces and kept the invading army largely at bay in 2026.

Fedorov lamented the fallout and claimed that long-time Zelensky ally and Ukraine’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi gave the president an ultimatum to either fire the defense minister or he would walk out.

“Instead of figuring out how to asymmetrically overpower Russia, which is [Syrskyi’s] task, he figured out how to split the country, where we are today,” Fedorov told reporters.

Fedorov, however, said that his push for advances in Ukraine’s military was repeatedly met with resistance from Syrskyi, with the bickering leading both men to repeatedly ask Zelensky to fire the other.

The ousted defense chief maintains that he has respect for Syrskyi for his accomplishments in the earlier years of the war, but said that the general remains trapped in the past and is not thinking about the best way for Ukraine to move forward.

“The war has changed completely. Drones are changing everything, completely reshaping the architecture, because some new drone features appear at least four times a year, and 20-30 things are changing in the technologies per year,” Fedorov said.

“The management system has changed, and we need to change with it.”

Zelensky defended his decision to keep Syrskyi over Fedorov, admitting that the men’s personal relationship caused Wednesday’s government restructuring.

“I would very much like to see unity. The sides have not found it,” Zelensky told reporters.

“And the problem lies not only with the sides, but with me as well. But things are as they are. And in such a situation, you have a choice: either one side or the other,” he said of the decision.

The choice led to outrage in the streets of Kyiv, with protesters condemning the infighting in the government at a time of war, with some even demanding Syrskyi leave office as well.

Lt. Col. Denis Yaroslavsky, who commands Ukrainian assault forces, told The Post that the fallout has been disheartening and serves as a major blow to the country’s military.

In Yaroslavsky’s eyes, Fedorov had the technological experience and creativity to capitalize on Ukraine’s latest victories, with Syrskyi holding the experience and leadership capabilities to see those plans through.

“Such synergy could have become a major advantage for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, instead, any division at the highest level inevitably spreads downward, demoralizes the troops, weakens command and control, and, in wartime, may lead to irreversible consequences on the front line,” he said.

“Today, personal ambitions, grievances, and political calculations must be put aside. The army, the front line, and Ukraine’s victory must remain the highest priority,” Yaroslavsky added.

With Fedorov gone, Zelensky moved to appoint Yevhenii Khmara, acting head of Ukraine’s SBU domestic security service, as acting defense ​minister.