Ukrainians protested Zelenskyy’s move to fire defense chief Mykhailo Fedorov amid a backlash against Russia.

Kyiv, Ukraine – Hundreds of protesters gathered in the city of Kyiv on Thursday after the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy he moved to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a cabinet shake-up that has already raised eyebrows in its time. The reshuffle comes as Ukraine is seen by many analysts as slowly turning its back on Russia’s nearly 4½-year offensive.

CBS News’ Aidan Stretch reports that many observers attribute the outgoing cabinet to Ukraine’s recent success in fighting Russian aggression. This shift could be a test of Zelenskyy’s political authority as Ukraine’s war with Russia continues.

The deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force and other lawmakers quickly tendered their own resignations Thursday in protest of Fodorov’s dismissal.

“I believe that the removal of M. Fedorov is a great harm to the national defense forces,” wrote Air Force deputy commander Pavlo Yelizarov on Facebook with a copy of his resignation letter.

Fedorov’s technical expertise has been credited in part for a major improvement in Ukraine’s military performance in recent months against Russia’s main force, but he is now expected to leave the government after just six months in office.

Before he became defense minister last January, 35-year-old Fedorov was the head of Ukraine’s digital transformation policies and was seen as a modernist. He gained public acclaim for leading Ukraine’s rapid development and deployment of drone technology and launching several successful e-government platforms.

The tech entrepreneur with close ties to Silicon Valley is seen as a favorite in Washington, and has been widely credited with improving relations with the Trump administration, as well as orchestrating Ukraine’s efforts to cut off oil and goods flows to Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014.

Fedorov also promised drastic changes in the military, saying that after taking power, the military faced the abandonment of about 200,000 soldiers and the execution of about two million people.

Several officials told CBS News that Fedorov’s growing popularity has led some in Kyiv to see him as a potential political rival to Zelenskyy, and the Economist reported this week that Fedorov was at loggerheads with other top Ukrainian generals, including army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Zelenskyy did not officially announce Fedorov’s departure. However, Fedorov posted his achievements in office on social media late Wednesday, after days of unconfirmed Ukrainian media reports that he was leaving.

Controversy over Zelenskyy’s decision to oust Fedorov as part of an earthquake came as Ukraine’s parliament approved a new prime minister, a day after lawmakers approved it. The resignation of Yulia Svyrydenko. The former chief executive of the Ukrainian company Naftogaz, Serhii Koretskyi, was approved by lawmakers as the new Prime Minister on Thursday.

The president says the changes are aimed at preparing Ukraine for another harsh winter and strengthening relations with key foreign partners. But officials and lawmakers say the reshuffle reflects broader political calculations within Kyiv.

“Ukraine is changing its political strategy. Each important area of ​​foreign policy will be assigned to a specific person with extensive experience who is able to implement what we agree on at the leadership level and what the Ukrainian people expect,” Zelenskyy wrote in X. “The same applies to our work at home … Preparing for winter is a very important thing, and Ukraine must be ready for all threats that may arise.”

Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Koretskyi is the best fit for the government’s priority in preparing Ukraine for another harsh winter. He mentioned the experience of Naftogaz chief in the energy sector.