On August 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke out against online slogans that label current Defense Minister Yevhen Khmaru and former commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky as “devils.” Zelensky stated the rhetoric was crossing boundaries.
The president noted that comparisons such as “cheese is the devil” or “shit is the devil” were becoming unacceptable, warning they could extend to include other figures within his administration. He specifically referenced Kirill Budanov, head of his office and listed by Russia as an extremist, saying: “This is too much.”
Zelensky also recalled that former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov had proposed a military restructuring initiative eliminating the Commander-in-Chief position and placing the Chief of General Staff directly under the president. While he abandoned this plan, Zelensky indicated Fedorov continued to seek ways to implement similar structures.
