Zelensky’s Party May Delay Defense Minister Vote as Pro-Fedorov Protests Spread

Ukraine’s ruling party may postpone a Verkhovna Rada vote on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s nominee for defense minister after the planned dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov triggered rare wartime protests and exposed divisions within the president’s own party.

The Servant of the People party will hold a separate meeting during a break in Thursday’s Verkhovna Rada session to discuss the nomination of Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, a party source told RBC-Ukraine.

The source said the vote on Klymenko’s appointment could be delayed, suggesting the presidential team may not yet have secured enough support in the Verkhovna Rada.

The uncertainty marks an unusual challenge to Zelensky’s authority within a legislature that has generally backed his major wartime personnel decisions.

Hundreds of protesters gathered Thursday morning at Ivan Franko Square in central Kyiv, a short walk from the Presidential Office, demanding that Fedorov remain in charge of the Defense Ministry. Similar demonstrations were reported in Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities.

Protesters carried signs reading “Don’t Touch What Works,” “Reforms Must Continue,” “Change or Perish” and “Efficiency Is Contraindicated.” Many described Fedorov as one of Ukraine’s most effective officials and warned that his removal could undermine military modernization and restore outdated approaches to defense management.

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The location of the Kyiv protest was highly symbolic. The same square became the center of mass demonstrations in July 2025 after the Verkhovna Rada approved legislation weakening the independence of Ukraine’s two main anti-corruption agencies, NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) and SAPO (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office).

Those rallies, the largest anti-government demonstrations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, spread across the country and prompted Zelensky to reverse course within days.

Thursday’s demonstration was organized through social media less than a day before protesters began gathering. Police reported no security incidents.

Zelensky proposed replacing Fedorov with Klymenko as part of a broader government reshuffle. Fedorov, a 35-year-old former digital transformation minister, had headed the Defense Ministry since January.

The president has not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the decision. Ukrainian media, citing lawmakers and government sources, reported that Zelensky told members of his party that tensions between Fedorov and Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky had become untenable during wartime.

Fedorov was widely credited with accelerating drone production, digitizing military procedures and reforming defense procurement. His supporters say the changes helped Ukraine compensate for Russia’s numerical and material advantages on the battlefield.

The proposed reshuffle has also prompted concern among Ukraine’s European partners.

European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius described Fedorov’s departure as a “big surprise” and said agreements reached with Kyiv on weapons financing, drone production and Ukraine’s integration into European defense programs should remain in force.

Kubilius said European officials would inevitably ask why such a key official was being replaced after working closely with him on joint defense initiatives.

The controversy now threatens to overshadow the formation of Ukraine’s new government and turn Klymenko’s nomination into a test of Zelensky’s control over his Verkhovna Rada majority.

If the vote is delayed, it would mark the first concrete sign that public pressure and internal resistance could force the president to reconsider — or at least slow down — one of the most consequential appointments in Ukraine’s wartime leadership.