Zelensky sacks armed forces chief amid mass protests in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the head of Ukraine’s armed forces and named his successor after a week of high pressure from citizens, including mass protests nationwide.

Zelensky fired Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi after demonstrations across Ukraine demanded his removal and the reinstatement of former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was fired last week. Protesters said Syrskyi represented the army's old, Soviet-style command culture, while Fedorov was seen as a driver of military modernisation.

The Ukrainian leader has vowed that “deep strikes” on Russia will continue under his replacement, Mykhailo Drapatyi. Zelensky also said Fedorov had been offered a “respected position” in government to unify the country’s technology sector, though it was not clear whether he accepted or whether the move would end the unrest.

Earlier, Moscow launched an attack on a Ukraine-bound gas tanker near Romania’s coast, as the Kremlin vowed to step up attacks on ships supplying Kyiv’s military. Romanian president Nicusor Dan said the Liberian-flagged vessel, sailing from Egypt to Ukraine, was hit in an attack likely linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Zelensky named Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi to lead Ukraine’s war effort as commander-in-chief and fired General Oleksandr Syrskyi after days of protests in Kyiv and other cities demanding his removal.

Drapatyi forged his reputation as a daring and determined fighter in the early days of the country's battle against Russia, then spent a decade in combat assignments while steadily rising through the ranks. Aged 43, he represents a new generation of Ukrainian generals forged in the crucible of the country’s fight against Russia.

He has spent nearly his entire career in combat postings, including leading Ukraine’s Joint Forces, which direct day-to-day combat operations across branches of the army. He is known as intensely disciplined and highly effective in combat, and has previously been sent in to stabilise the most critical sectors of the front.

He has rarely appeared in public but has nonetheless gained respect and popularity within the military and beyond for his past victories.

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert Brovdi said Ukrainian drones struck 13 Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov in the past 48 hours.

Russia's defence ministry said its forces attacked Ukrainian ports and military infrastructure in the Odesa region. It said two naval vessels were hit, along with port infrastructure used for unloading and storing military cargo and fuel and lubricant storage tanks in the port of Odesa.

Outgoing commander in chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine has recaptured 700 sq km (270.3 square miles) of its territory this year. He said: “I am handing over to my successor an army that is not only holding the defence but is also on the offensive,” confirming he was leaving the top military job.

A video update also reported two killed in Zaporizhzhia and nine injured in the latest Russian attack on a residential building.

Top EU officials are set to meet to try to reach a compromise with Greece and pass a 21st package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The package lists about 215 individuals and entities, including 94 financial institutions, and close to 90 of these are banks, taking the total number of sanctioned banks to over 100.

A European state intelligence service report, seen by Reuters, warned in June that Russia risked an “explosive” banking crisis and that a new sanctions package targeting banks could trigger an economic shock. Russian authorities have dismissed warnings of a looming crisis.

EU diplomatic sources said the aim of the listings was to discourage third countries from dealing with these Russian lenders, given that any EU ties are now minimal or non-existent.

Another attack on warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries injured several people, according to Tatyana Kim, the company's head and co-founder. She said warehouses in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk had been attacked. A previous strike by Ukrainian drones on Saturday killed eight workers, sparked fires and disrupted operations at Wildberries.

Britain's new defence secretary Wes Streeting called Russia's live-fire weapons exercise off the English coast “irresponsible”. He said the events were “performative and irresponsible” and said standard maritime safety procedures were followed during the drill.

The Kremlin said Wildberries and the merchants who trade through it were suffering losses after the attacks on warehouses. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the situation was difficult because of losses suffered by the company and by small and medium-sized businesses, and denied accusations from Ukraine that Wildberries handles military supplies.