Protest organisers call for another Saturday demonstration, demand commander-in-chief's dismissal – photo

Tetyana Oliynyk - 17 July, 23:28

The protest in Kyiv on 17 July. Photo: Ukrainska Pravda correspondents

Veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, who has organised protests against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov, has called on people to take part in another protest on Saturday 18 July, demanding the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Koziatynskyi on Facebook

Quote: "Oleksandr Syrskyi is engaged in politics instead of focusing on the battlefield, is demoralising the Armed Forces, sabotaging reforms, creating personal loyalist military units, restricting freedom of speech and persecuting service personnel.

The commander-in-chief has long demonstrated through his actions that he is a relic of the Soviet era. He should be dismissed and retired.

We need modern Armed Forces, not meat assault regiments the size of divisions, used to intimidate civilians and persecute military personnel who are deemed undesirable."

Photo: Koziatynskyi

Details: Koziatynskyi called on people to gather at Franko Square in Kyiv on Saturday at 20:00 and demand:

1. The dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

2. The appointment of Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister.

Background:

On 16 July, protests in support of Fedorov took place near the President's Office in Kyiv and in a number of Ukrainian cities. The protesters called on the authorities to reinstate Fedorov in the new government and not to hand the defence minister position over to Ihor Klymenko.
Commenting on the upcoming changes at the Defence Ministry, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi were unable to work together effectively and that problems on the battlefield, in military brigades and with mobilisation remain unresolved.
Zelenskyy said it was right that Ukrainian citizens are able to take part in peaceful demonstrations and express their views even during wartime, adding that he had "not yet made a final decision" on the issue they had raised.
Later that evening, however, Zelenskyy said he would propose the appointment of Yevhen Khmara as defence minister to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament). Khmara, who is currently the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, will now carry out the duties of Ukraine's defence minister on the president's instruction.
On 17 July, protests in support of Fedorov continued for a second consecutive day in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine following his dismissal. Protesters are demanding his reinstatement and the dismissal of Syrskyi.

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