Kyiv Protesters Dig In Over Ousted Defence Minister

The unrest intensified after thousands took to the streets last week, directing their frustration toward former commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Even with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s decision to replace Syrskyi with the widely respected Mykhailo Drapatyi, the protest movement shows no sign of abating. Activists argue that the government’s recent personnel shifts fail to address the systemic need for the strategic oversight Fedorov provided.

Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a military veteran organizing the occupation, dismissed alternative roles offered to Fedorov by the administration as toothless gestures devoid of real authority. Supporters view Fedorov’s reformist agenda as the cornerstone of the nation’s military resilience against Russian forces, positioning his removal as a direct threat to the sector’s operational integrity.