Thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets of Kyiv and other cities on Thursday to protest President Volodymyr Zelensky’s removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after only six months in office. Wartime protests are rare in Ukraine.Following the resignation of presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak amid an anti-corruption investigation in November 2025, Fedorov offered the Zelensky administration a useful reformist face at a moment of political crisis. He entered the Defense Ministry in January after building his reputation as the architect of Ukraine’s digital government and as a top official behind the expanding defense-technology sector. During his tenure in office, the ministry purchased more drones. It also developed improved fiber-optic FPV drones, interceptor drones, ground robots, and long-range strike systems, and worked with Starlink to block Russian forces from using the network. Fedorov further distinguished himself by implementing the first stage of a broader military restructuring, including Ukraine’s transition toward corps-level command. The reform was intended to give brigades more permanent operational structures and improve coordination between infantry, artillery, drones, logistics, and intelligence.