Thousands of Ukrainians gathered in central Kyiv on July 31 for a “march for dialogue and reforms in defense,” as protests demanding the reinstatement of dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov entered their 16th day. Organizers vowed to keep demonstrating despite no indication that President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to reverse his decision.
The march drew a crowd well into the thousands, a noticeably larger turnout than several recent rallies that had attracted hundreds of participants, the Kyiv Independent reported. Demonstrators marched through downtown streets near the Presidential Office, waving Ukrainian flags and repeating calls for Fedorov’s return.
“I call on Volodymyr Zelensky to hear his people and continue the dialogue with Fedorov,” veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, one of the protest movement’s public leaders, told the outlet. “For example, give Mykhailo a year to carry out the reforms, and then make decisions based on the results.”
Fedorov, who previously served as deputy prime minister for digital transformation, was dismissed on July 16. During his tenure at the Defense Ministry he was credited with disrupting Russian forces’ access to Starlink satellite systems, coordinating strikes against Russian logistics in occupied Crimea and launching what he called “an unpopular but extremely important” military reform. Protesters say the dismissal undercuts wartime modernization and anti-corruption efforts.
“For the last six months, he produced results that soldiers supported,” protester Tatiana Bohdanovska, 29, whose brother was killed fighting in Kharkiv Oblast in 2022, told the Kyiv Independent earlier in the protest campaign. “He started changing a system that is very old and very corrupt. Maybe someone in the government isn’t ready for those changes. But we are, and that’s why we’re here.”
Zelensky has already fulfilled one of the protesters’ original demands by dismissing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointing General Mykhailo Drapatyi, a widely respected commander, as his successor. However, he has given no indication that he intends to return Fedorov to the Defense Ministry. On July 21, Zelensky said he had offered Fedorov “a prominent position in the government” focused on strengthening Ukraine’s technological sector, an offer Fedorov has rejected, maintaining he is prepared to serve only as defense minister.
Zelensky has not offered a detailed explanation for the dismissal, pointing only to a conflict between Fedorov and Syrskyi. In an interview published on July 29, Fedorov suggested his push for more transparent defense procurement may have contributed to his ouster. “It’s true that many people in our country are involved in the defense industry,” he said. “It’s true that there were different indications, and many events took place at the Defense Ministry.”
The standoff has become a test of Zelensky’s political standing. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has been proposed as Fedorov’s successor, but several lawmakers from the ruling Servant of the People party have voiced opposition, and pro-government lawmaker Mykyta Poturaev said he intends to resign in protest. “People have accumulated frustration and fatigue, and Fedorov’s resignation may cause unexpected social turmoil,” a ruling-party lawmaker told the Kyiv Independent. Reuters reported on Friday that thousands rallied in the capital demanding the ousted minister’s reinstatement as the demonstrations stretch into a third week.
The protests come at a delicate moment for the government, which is under pressure from Western allies to step up mobilization, curb corruption and stabilize the front line. UNITED24 Media reported that mass marches across Ukraine entered day 16, with organizers signaling no pause despite waning turnout at some earlier rallies.
Sources: Kyiv Independent, Reuters, UNITED24 Media
Author: Ukraine Desk
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