Ukrainians welcome new army chief but seek return of fired defence minister

Ukrainians welcome new army chief but seek return of fired defence minister Ukraine's soldiers and civilians welcomed the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty as the new army chief on Wednesday, but many said they still wanted former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov restored after his surprise removal sparked the largest war-related protests since Russia's 2022 invasion. Ukrainian soldiers and civilians told AFP on Wednesday they welcomed the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty as the new army commander in the fifth year of Russia's invasion, and said they were still hoping for the return of popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The surprise replacement of reformist minister Fedorov last week brought several thousand people onto the streets demanding his reinstatement and the removal of army chief Oleksandr Syrsky. Faced with the largest war-related protests since Russia's 2022 invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked Syrsky on Tuesday and replaced him with Drapaty. In Izium, a city 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Russian positions, a 22-year-old soldier who gave his military nickname as Khrest said Syrsky's departure was a "good thing" but still wanted Fedorov to return to government. According to Khrest, Fedorov was lobbying for the widespread introduction of fixed-term contracts – a key demand by soldiers, many of whom are fighting without a set term, even though the war is in its fifth year. "He's introducing contracts so that mobilised soldiers at least know how long they'll have to serve," the soldier told AFP. "And he's also trying to make sure soldiers get some rest." Violence reports Another soldier in Izium, nicknamed "Ananas", also told AFP he was pleased to see the back of Syrsky, who was known for military success but also developed a reputation for not caring about losses. The 30-year-old said Syrsky, a career officer who led the crucial defence of Kyiv in 2022, "threw a lot of people into the meat grinder at the start of the war". "I think he got off lightly by simply being dismissed," Ananas told AFP. The soldier also alleged Syrsky had been linked to a scandal over reports of violence against new recruits in the Skelia assault unit. Syrsky, who also oversaw Ukraine's successful 2022 counter-offensive in Kharkiv, called the violations "shameful" and said measures had been taken against those responsible. Ananas said unless Fedorov returned, the discontent was likely to continue. He praised the official – known for trying to enhance Ukraine's drone technology – for trying to ensure that "fewer soldiers die and that drones fight in their place". "People like that should not be removed. They are doing the right thing," he said of Fedorov. Respected 'combat officer' Svitlana, 48, a nurse in an airborne assault unit, also saw the arrival of Drapaty – a respected "combat officer" – as "positive". She was grateful to civilians for protesting to oust Syrsky. "I believe only civil society can influence these processes. While we are here defending rights, people went out and defended theirs," she said. She also valued the "digitalisation" led by ex-minister Fedorov, describing him as a "good manager", but also warning not to "idealise" the young official. During his tenure, "pay has started to decrease somewhat, and that affects our families", she noted. She did not yet have an opinion on Yevgen Khmara, Fedorov's successor, who comes from the security services. For 69-year-old Oleg in Kyiv, the removal of Syrsky was not enough. "People got together to support Fedorov ... the aim has not yet been achieved," he said. Oleg believes that Zelensky tried to "turn the attention" away with Fedorov's removal and thinks that things could only change with a replacement "at the top" of government. Taisiia Obod, a 21-year-old political science student, also hoped Fedorov would remain "within government" and that momentum for his "reforms and initiatives" would be maintained. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)