President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine removed his top general on Tuesdaynightamid swelling public protests and growing concerns that the national unity that had helped the country survive nearly five years of war was in danger of fracturing.

The dismissal of the general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, was a major reversal for Mr. Zelensky, who just days earlier sided with him and fired Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.

Mr. Zelensky said he was replacing General Syrskyi with Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, the commander of the Joint Forces. The choice was likely to please the protesters, after Mr. Drapatyi had publicly sided with Mr. Fedorov in his clash with General Syrskyi over warfighting strategy.

Thousands of people had joined mass demonstrations to pressure Mr. Zelensky to change course and reaffirm Mr. Fedorov’s vision of warfare as increasingly dominated by drones and robots. As he championed a military overhaul that leaned into high-tech innovation, Mr. Fedorov, 35, emerged as a symbol of hope to many Ukrainians, particularly young people.

General Drapatyi, 43, is part of a younger generation of Ukrainian officers. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, he built a reputation as a frontline commander focused on tactical innovation, drone integration and direct accountability. He is generally highly regarded by rank-and-file soldiers and military reformers alike.

Mr. Fedorov’s dismissal after only six months in the job came as Ukraine seemed to finally have regained the initiative in the war, in large part through the increasingly effective use of long- and medium-range drones to strike targets in Russia and Crimea.

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