President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering the removal of Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi amid growing discontent and the largest street protests since Russia's 2022 invasion. Thousands of demonstrators have gathered outside the presidential office in Kyiv, chanting "Syrskyi out," with some waving cheese graters as a pun on the commander's name.
On Monday, Zelenskyy met with several of Ukraine's top military commanders in an attempt to ease the tension surrounding the defense leadership. His chief of staff has hinted that the government may be about to sack Syrskyi as part of a broader reshuffle of the army's top leadership.
The pressure for leadership changes follows a fiery public challenge from the outgoing defense minister, who was fired last week. The former minister blamed Syrskyi for hindering military reforms. Additionally, soldiers and demonstrators are demanding that the president reaffirm the vision of drone warfare laid out by the fired minister.