Thousands rally in central Kyiv demanding Zelenskiy reinstate ousted defence minister Fedorov

Third week of street protests

Several thousand Ukrainians marched through central Kyiv on Friday evening, 31 July, in the largest rally since President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in mid-July. The crowd moved through the historical centre and poured onto Khreshchatyk, the capital's main artery, chanting "The people are the power" and "Let him come back." An air raid siren sounded during the march, but few participants dispersed, despite organisers having warned the event would be cancelled in case of a threat. The protest entered its third week, with earlier gatherings drawing hundreds of people rather than thousands.

An unexplained dismissal

Zelenskiy initially said he removed Fedorov because of a major conflict with then commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. That explanation weakened when Zelenskiy dismissed Syrskyi himself a week later under public pressure triggered by the crisis, appointing the widely respected General Mykhailo Drapatyi in his place. Speculation grew that Fedorov was forced out because of efforts to tackle alleged corruption in the defence sector. The 35-year-old minister had only taken charge of the wartime ministry in January 2026 and was credited with driving military innovation during the war, including a deep-strike campaign against Russian military and energy targets.

Fedorov breaks his silence

On 29 July, Fedorov gave an interview to the independent outlet Ukrainska Pravda, his first public remarks since the dismissal. He suggested that his push to bring transparency to defence procurement may have contributed to his removal.

It is true that many people in our country are involved in the defence industry. It is true that there have been numerous signals and that many events have taken place at the Defence Ministry.

Fedorov did not name specific individuals or groups. On 21 July, Zelenskiy had stated publicly that he offered the former minister "an important position in government" focused on developing Ukraine's technology sector, widely understood to be a deputy prime ministerial role. Fedorov refused, insisting he would only serve as defence minister because only that post carried the authority to drive military restructuring and procurement reform.

The government's response

In Fedorov's place, Zelenskiy appointed Yevhenii Khmara, a former head of the State Security Service (SBU) with no prior political career, as acting defence minister. Under Ukrainian law the post must be held by a civilian. Parliament has yet to schedule a confirmation vote. Matteo Mecacci, Director of the European Policy Institute in Kyiv, said the Drapatyi appointment may help restore some trust but cannot resolve the crisis alone.

The way out probably cannot be limited to another personnel decision, and Fedorov's reappointment now appears unlikely. The focus must therefore be on effective crisis management.

What comes next

Protest organiser Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a military veteran, called for a pragmatic compromise.

I ask Volodymyr Zelenskiy to listen to his people and continue dialogue with Fedorov. For example, give Mykhailo a year to implement reforms, and then decide based on results.

Protesters signalled they intend to stay on the streets. The president has given no indication he plans to reverse the dismissal, and with no parliamentary session scheduled to confirm Khmara's appointment, the standoff remains unresolved.