Sawt Falasteen - Zelensky faces deepening political crisis as protests dig in

The fifth day of demonstrations -- the longest sustained protests, and most directly related to the conduct of the war -- were sparked by the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular defence minister sacked in a reshuffle after repeatedly clashing with the army's top command.

Hundreds have shown up in the capital Kyiv since last week, beating makeshift cardboard signs and singing the Ukrainian anthem -- gathering despite Russia launching nightly air attacks.

"This will continue for as long as it takes, it will end when our president gives us an answer," protester Iryna Kostiuk told AFP.

As the anger among the young crowds in Kyiv shows little sign of fading, Zelensky is trying to strike a solution that satisfies all sides to avoid divisions in the face of the ongoing invasion.

For days, he has been locked in meetings with his top advisors and military hierarchy.

On the agenda -- according to Ukrainian media and experts -- whether to bring back Fedorov, and the fate of under-pressure commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.

A spokesperson for the presidency said a decision would not be expected on Monday.

- 'Syrsky out!' -

"The situation is undoubtedly serious... we are seeing the list of demands grow," said Oleksandr Salizhenko, an expert within the Chesno movement.

Crowds had first gathered spontaneously on Thursday morning in support of Fedorov, a tech-savvy young minister whose efforts to modernise the armed forces often put him at odds with the military establishment.

In a subsequent scathing press conference, Fedorov said Syrsky had put an ultimatum to Zelensky to engineer his removal.

The deputy head of the air force resigned in support of Fedorov and a top commander, Mykhailo Drapaty, also criticised the decision.

Fedorov in turn called for Syrsky's dismissal -- and supporters rallied on social media and on the streets, increasingly chanting "Syrsky out!".

"Syrsky is a butcher... He likes fighting with manpower more than with drones," one protestor, Viktoria Osypenko, said.

Syrsky "has become hostage to the situation," analyst Anatolii Oktysiuk said.

"The longer Zelensky keeps Syrsky in his position, the deeper the social and political conflict becomes."

Ukraine's European allies are also concerned.

Solomiia Bobrovska, an opposition MP sitting in the parliament's defence committee, said meetings to discuss a replacement to Syrsky were ongoing, but cautioned the situation was changing rapidly.

- 'Solve this together' -

Zelensky over the past days has been holding meeting after meeting with his military leadership, and has appealed for "unity".

"He is searching for an option that would demonstrate change in the military leadership while remaining broadly similar to Syrsky: loyal, free of political ambitions and respected by the military," political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said.

The pressure is compounded by frustration among some military figures.

"It is particularly painful to hear peremptory judgments from people who have never issued combat orders, never taken responsibility for the lives of personnel," commander Oleg Apostol said.

Even if a compromise is found over the fate of the army chief, Fedorov's future remains a thorny question.

The crisis has turned Fedorov into a symbol of the protesters and a rallying figure calling for reforms in the military.

"The situation on the street is starting to be unhealthy," Bobrovska, the MP, said.

"The President and Fedorov have to find a way to solve this together."

N.Shalabi--SF-PST