Ukraine’s Zelenskyy fires his commander-in-chief after protests and major rift

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief on Tuesday following mass protests in Kyiv and other cities. This decision stems from a major leadership crisis and a rift intensified by the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. To address the instability, Zelenskyy appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief. The move follows significant pressure on the presidency during one of its fiercest internal conflicts regarding the leadership of Ukraine’s armed forces.