In mid-July 2026, protests over leadership changes in Ukraine grew into a serious military and political crisis. The key question was why the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov caused such a strong reaction and led to the resignation of General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was in charge of military operations and was close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Syrskyi was replaced by the popular General Mykhailo Drapatyi, his longtime rival. To understand the causes of the crisis, it is important to look beyond the personal conflict and examine the deeper problems inside the institutions responsible for running the war.
In Ukraine, the two main institutions responsible for the war are the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense. The General Staff plans military operations and manages mobilization, while the Ministry of Defense provides the army with resources, weapons, funding and infrastructure. Because of this, a serious conflict between the leaders of these institutions inevitably affects the entire defense system.
Since 2023, the General Staff had been headed by 60-year-old Gen. Syrskyi. He had played a major role in the defense of Kyiv and the Kharkiv counteroffensive in 2022. Still, his reputation was far from simple. While some respected his military experience, others criticized his leadership style, the heavy losses, and the way soldiers were treated under his command.
