NPR News: 07-21-2026 9PM EDT

Ryland Barton· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has fired the country's top military commander following days of protests against the general. As NPR's Greg Myre reports, this is the second major shakeup to the military leadership in the past week.

Greg Myre0:17

In a late-night social media post, President Zelensky dismissed the head of the armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi. The general, age 60, was credited with winning several key battles in recent years, but he's also a Soviet-trained officer who favored rigid battlefield tactics. He clashed with the popular defense minister, 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorov, a leading advocate of innovative drone warfare. Zelensky fired Fedorov last week. That ignited the protests in support of Fedorov and against the general. These moves create uncertainty at a moment when Ukraine has regained momentum in the war. Zelensky has named a new general to lead the military, but still has an acting defense minister for now. Greg Myre, NPR News, Kiev.

Ryland Barton· Host1:05

President Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence is moving to the next stage of his confirmation process, a vote before the full Senate. Jay Clayton was recommended by the Senate Intelligence Committee in a nine-to-eight narrow party-line vote that reflects the partisan divide over the sensitive post. NPR's Eric McDaniel has more.

Eric McDaniel1:23

Committee Chair Republican Tom Cotton of Arkansas says in a statement, quote, "Jay Clayton is a highly qualified nominee with