Thousands Protest in Kyiv Over Removal of Defence Minister

Thousands of Ukrainians marched through central Kyiv on July 31 to demand the reinstatement of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The protests, which have now entered their third week, centered on Khreshchatyk and the area near the presidential office. Fedorov was dismissed in mid July during a government reshuffle that was described as surprise and poorly explained.

President Volodymyr Zelensky initially attributed the removal to a conflict between Fedorov and then commander in chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. However, speculation has grown that the dismissal was linked to anti corruption efforts within the defence sector. Fedorov has since suggested these claims are accurate in an interview, though he did not provide specific details. He has refused to accept any other government position.

Protesters and some experts emphasized Fedorov's role in driving military innovation and technological modernisation of the army during the war with Russia. While Zelensky has appointed Yevhenii Khmara as acting defence minister, demonstrators have vowed to continue their rallies until their demands are met. Matteo Mecacci of the European Policy Institute stated that the situation requires effective crisis management beyond simple personnel changes.