According to Zhelezniak, under Article 106 of Ukraine's Constitution, only the president, as commander in chief, can make decisions regarding the Armed Forces' top command. However, members of parliament may formally petition the president to consider such a decision, provided the request is backed by at least 226 lawmakers, effectively making it a parliamentary initiative.
In addition to calling for Syrskyi's dismissal to be considered, the lawmaker proposed appointing a new commander in chief based on professional performance and a measurable technology-driven approach to warfare.
He also proposed introducing regular closed-door briefings by the military's top command to the Verkhovna Rada's defense committee, saying the move would help restore the balance of democratic civilian oversight.
Zhelezniak said any member of parliament can sign the document until Monday.
Government reshuffle and protests
According to the Financial Times, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also considering dismissing Syrskyi amid large-scale protests that erupted after the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The newspaper reported that interviews with potential candidates for the post are expected to take place over the weekend.
On July 16, Zelenskyy said Yevhen Khmara, who previously headed the Alpha Special Operations Center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), would serve as acting defense minister in Serhii Koretskyi's new government. The president acknowledged Fedorov's conflict with Syrskyi, while the former defense minister said the commander in chief had blocked all of his initiatives and issued ultimatums.
On July 16, hundreds of people rallied in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and other cities, calling for Syrskyi's dismissal and Fedorov's reinstatement. Demonstrators returned to the streets on July 17 in Kyiv, Lutsk, Mykolaiv and other regional capitals, with additional protests announced for July 18.
On July 18, volunteer Serhii Sternenko claimed that commanders of Ukrainian brigades had been ordered to record video messages in support of Syrskyi. It was his second such allegation: on July 17, he said senior military commanders were pressuring service members not to support the protesters. In response, Ukraine's General Staff said it had not prohibited military personnel from publicly commenting on the protests, while presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, according to the BBC, described the situation as "someone's misguided initiative to overcontrol the situation."