Ukraine is changing. Syrsky has now become too controversial to lead the army, but his achievements remain

Kyiv. The 90-minute briefing held on 17 July by former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, following his resignation, shocked many Ukrainians with its candour. “It’s time for a grown-up conversation,” he began. Fedorov admitted for the first time that, during his six months at the ministry, he had been at odds with the army’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky. According to him, Syrsky had issued an ultimatum to President Volodymyr Zelensky, demanding the defence minister’s dismissal. Fedorov publicly displayed a slide – which previously only he and the president had seen – listing the 10 main problems facing the Armed Forces. These included: Ukraine is fighting at a tactical level, not a strategic one; no one is accountable for anything; constant lies; stalled initiatives and a ‘bureaucratic clash’ between the General Staff and the Ministry of Defence; the erosion of human capital on the battlefield without any analysis of casualties; the isolation and toxic environment faced by those undergoing training; the army corps system not yet fully operational; and commanders being constantly replaced.

When Zelensky told Fedorov that, despite everything, he had no intention of replacing Syrsky, the then minister agreed, as only the commander-in-chief could make such a decision, and the young and enterprising official decided to learn to work with Syrsky. “But we found ourselves faced with the fact that all the initiatives we proposed were being blocked,” said Fedorov, who claimed that the commander-in-chief was unwilling to discuss the issues directly with him or to seek solutions. “I didn’t set any conditions: either me or Syrsky. I said: we’ll defeat Russia even with a commander-in-chief,” Fedorov declared. The livestream of the briefing on YouTube was viewed by over a million people. The protesters who had gathered in the square near the Ivan Franko Theatre immediately turned their fierce criticism on Syrsky, shifting the focus from Fedorov to him. “Syrsky must go”, “Fedorov for minister, Syrsky to the front”, the protesters wrote on cardboard placards. The demands of the protest organisers boiled down to just two points: the removal of Syrsky from command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Fedorov’s return to the post of Defence Minister.

Oleksandr Syrsky, aged 60, took command of the army on 8 February 2024, immediately following the resignation of Valeri Zaluzhny, who enjoyed widespread popularity and was viewed by Volodymyr Zelensky’s team as a potential political rival. The president appointed Zaluzhny as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, far from Kyiv. Syrsky is a highly experienced military commander, but he has no political ambitions; he focuses exclusively on the war and spends most of his time near the front line. Even Fedorov acknowledges his merits. “In 2022, he saved our country,” he admitted during the briefing. He led operations in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson, which liberated numerous territories. His combat successes should not be underestimated, but the war has changed radically since then. Drone technology evolves four times a year, and some technologies as many as 20–30 times a year. “We cannot fight as we did before,” said Fedorov, an advocate of asymmetric warfare against the Russians. Syrsky responded to his opponent’s statements, writing that he was proud that the 2022 Kyiv operation had made it possible to defend the capital: “And now we can hold briefings here, we can formulate strategies, we can make decisions,” declared the commander-in-chief, concluding his comments on his social media profiles.

But he has done nothing to reassure Ukrainians, who have added yet another item to the list of criticisms levelled against him, including ‘cannon-fodder assaults’ and the creation of assault units such as Skelya. A journalistic investigation by the Babel website has revealed the existence of a practice within the regiment involving brutal beatings of mobilised personnel during combat training. Many military personnel, even among those who criticise Syrsky, have urged civilians to remain calm and not to humiliate the man who has shouldered the responsibility for Ukraine’s defence for all these years. “Constructive criticism does not require disparaging slogans or insults,” wrote Yaryna Chornoguz, a Ukrainian soldier, on Facebook. Syrsky, however, has now become too much of a thorn in Zelensky’s side, just as his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, once was. Over the past four days, the president has spoken with brigade and corps commanders via video conference or met them in person. He stated that he is closely monitoring public reaction and listening to the views of the Ukrainian people. He also emphasised his openness to dialogue, including on complex personnel issues. On 18 July, Zelensky spoke with both Fedorov and Syrsky. “There will certainly be changes,” the former defence minister later wrote on social media, adding that dialogue with the president is ongoing. “I believe everything will work out,” he said.