Ukraine: Former Defense Minister Fedorov wants to return to office

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed at a press conference that he had offered Fedorov several positions, including deputy head of the government for military innovation. Fedorov was fired last week as part of a government shakeup. The young technology expert had publicly fallen out with the previous commander in chief, Olexander Syrskyj, a veteran general of the Soviet school.

Several thousand demonstrators in Kiev and other cities then demanded his reinstatement and the dismissal of army chief Syrskyj. Zelensky complied with the second demand on Tuesday. But the organizers of the protests also want Fedorov back and are otherwise threatening permanent demonstrations that are scheduled to start on Friday.

Zelensky: New military leadership should improve mobilization

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the new military leadership to improve mobilization. The new Defense Minister Yevhenij Khmara and the new commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapaty must improve the recruitment of soldiers, Zelenskiy said on Thursday, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Zelenskyj also confirmed that he had offered former Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko the important ambassadorial post to the USA.

Ukraine has been resisting a Russian invasion for more than four years. Fedorov was the fourth defense minister since the beginning of the war to be dismissed. The 35-year-old had only been in office for six months.