Kyiv protesters demand reinstatement of defense chief Mykhailo Fedorov

Fedorov, who assumed his role in January, was ousted in a mid-July reshuffle that the administration failed to clearly justify. While Zelenskiy initially cited friction between Fedorov and then-commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, many protesters suspect the minister was removed for aggressively targeting corruption within the defense sector. Fedorov’s departure has sparked concerns that the momentum behind Ukraine’s recent deep-strike campaigns against Russian targets might falter without his leadership.

Matteo Mecacci, director of the European Policy Institute in Kyiv, suggests that while new appointments like Mykhailo Drapatyi may stabilize the military hierarchy, the broader issue of institutional trust remains unresolved. For many, the rallies serve as a reminder that civilian oversight is a core tenet of the democracy they are defending. Organizer Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a military veteran, maintains that the government should allow reformers like Fedorov time to yield results rather than resorting to sudden dismissals. As the crowds filled Khreshchatyk, participants signaled their intent to continue the pressure, viewing the minister's fate as a barometer for the nation's wartime effectiveness.