Ukraine is experiencing its largest domestic protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The spark to the unrest was the summary dismissal on July 15, 2026, of the country’s youthful defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, appointed just six months ago.
Fedorov, seen as charismatic and tech savvy, was already viewed by some as a leading light for change, with a reformist message that chimed with many Ukrainians. So his ouster – the consequence of a clash with Oleksandr Syrskyi, the head of the country’s armed forces and part of the older guard — tapped into a generational clash over how best to defeat Russia.
