Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has defused an extraordinary political crisis, but only after reversing the logic of the decision that created it. His dismissal of commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi followed days of protests triggered by the earlier removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. By also offering Fedorov another position in government, the Ukrainian president has effectively conceded much of what his critics demanded.

The episode matters far beyond a wartime personnel dispute. Fedorov had come to symbolise Ukraine’s attempt to fight a larger adversary through innovation rather than attrition. His emphasis on drones, data, artificial intelligence and faster procurement represented an effort to overcome Russia’s advantages in manpower and conventional resources. Syrskyi, despite his distinguished role in defending Kyiv in 2022, increasingly represented to his critics an older, hierarchical military culture associated with Soviet doctrine and costly battlefield methods.

When conflict between the two became untenable, Zelensky initially chose Syrskyi. That judgment provoked an unusually powerful backlash. Soldiers, veterans and civilians rallied behind Fedorov, while demonstrations spread beyond Kyiv and demands........

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