Ukrainians protest over Zelenskyy's move to oust defense chief Mykhailo Fedorov amid progress vs. Russia

Kyiv, Ukraine — Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Kyiv Thursday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a Cabinet shakeup that had already raised eyebrows for its timing. The reshuffle comes right as Ukraine is seen by many analysts as turning the tide slowly against Russia's nearly 4½-year full-scale invasion. 

CBS News' Aidan Stretch reports that many observers have credited the outgoing Cabinet with Ukraine's recent successes in countering Russia's assault. The reshuffle could become a test of Zelenskyy's political authority as Ukraine's fight against Russia continues.

The deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force and some lawmakers were quick to submit their own resignations Thursday in protest of Fodorov's ouster.

"I believe that the removal of M. Fedorov is a great evil for the country's defense capability," deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Yelizarov wrote in a Facebook post with a copy of his resignation letter attached.

Fedorov's technological expertise is credited in part with a significant improvement in Ukraine's military performance in recent months against Russia's bigger army, but he is now expected to leave the government after just six months in the post.

Before he became defense minister last January, 35-year-old Fedorov was the head of Ukraine's digital transformation policies and seen as a modernizer. He won public popularity by spearheading Ukraine's speedy development and deployment of drone technology and introducing several successful e-government platforms.

Thetech entrepreneur with close ties to Silicon Valley is seen as a widely liked figure in Washington, and he has widely been credited with improving ties with the Trump administration, as well as orchestrating Ukraine's efforts to cut off fuel and logistics flows to Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014.

Fedorov had also promised sweeping military reforms, saying after he took over that the military had faced about 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by around 2 million people.

Several officials told CBS News that Fedorov's growing popularity had led some in Kyiv to view him as a potential political rival to Zelenskyy, and the Economist reported this week that there had been friction between Fedorov and some of Ukraine's top generals, including the commander of the armed forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Zelenskyy didn't formally announce Fedorov's departure. However, Fedorov listed his achievements in office in social media posts late Wednesday, after days of unconfirmed Ukrainian media reports that he was on his way out.

The tumult over Zelenskyy's decision to oust Fedorov as part of the shakeup came as Ukraine's parliament approved a new prime minister, a day after lawmakers accepted Yulia Svyrydenko's resignation. Former CEO of the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz, Serhii Koretskyi, was approved by lawmakers as the new premier Thursday.      

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

"Ukraine is changing its political strategy. Each priority area of foreign policy will be assigned to a specific person with substantial experience who is capable of implementing what we agree on at the leaders' level and what the Ukrainian people expect," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "The same applies to our domestic work … Preparing for winter is an extremely important priority, and Ukraine must be ready for every threat that may arise."

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Koretskyi was the most appropriate candidate for the government's priority of preparing Ukraine for another difficult winter. He cited the Naftogaz chief's experience in the energy sector.

Speaking Thursday in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the importance of Zelenskyy's shakeup to the war, telling reporters that "changes in the structure of the Kyiv regime, including personnel changes in the government, are of no fundamental importance to Russia."

"It doesn't matter who heads the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense; the main thing is that there is someone in Kyiv who is capable of making decisions that would lead to a resolution of the conflict. Kyiv is well aware of the decisions that need to be made for this," he said, adding that in Russia's view, there are currently "no prospects for a quick resumption of peaceful negotiations on Ukraine."