Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s removal of two top defence officials highlights the role of morale in long wars

Demonstrators hold a portrait of the Ukrainian army’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, demanding his resignation during a rally to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months in the post, in Kyiv on July 18, 2026. Zelenskyy obliged. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s removal of two top defence officials highlights the role of morale in long wars Published: July 22, 2026 1.51pm EDT Share article Print article Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently made the controversial decision to dismiss Mykhailo Fedorov, his minister of defense. Fedorov, admired both by Ukrainian troops and western allies, was at the forefront of Ukraine’s increasing technological innovations in the war against Russia. According to Fedorov, however, tension began to emerge over his own desire to replace Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. Widespread protests over Syrskyi’s role in the conflict subsequently led Zelenskyy to remove him as well. What this now means for Federov’s future is unclear. Power struggles aren’t new to Ukrainian politics. Zelenskyy replaced the previous commander-in-chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Similar to Fedorov, Zaluzhnyi was well-liked by Ukraine’s soldiers. Zelenskyy’s removal of Fedorov and Syrskyi highlights an ongoing tension in Ukraine’s armed forces — one that western pundits have misunderstood. Specifically, western observers emphasize that Ukraine’s modern and technology-heavy approach in the war stands in contrast to Russia’s low-tech, industrialized approach. However, Ukraine’s army is, in fact, a hybrid force that simultaneously needs the innovative approach championed in the West along with more brutal aspects needed in a war of attrition. With such a hybrid approach, one factor of war becomes important beyond all others: morale. Demonstrators in Kyiv shout slogans during a rally on July 19, 2026 to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov) Ukraine’s army When Ukraine gained independence in 1991, it inherited its armed forces from the Soviet Union, both in terms of equipment and personnel. While Ukraine’s post-independence economic problems led to the degradation of its material assets, the country’s officer corps remained firmly entrenched in the old Soviet model. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and de facto annexation of ports…