Persistent protests over Fedorov’s dismissal challenge Zelenskyy’s authority

Protests demanding the reinstatement of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s defence minister continued across the country on 16 August, more than a month after his dismissal as part of a broader government overhaul ordered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The sustained demonstrations, including a march of around 1,000 people in Kyiv, highlight growing public defiance of the presidential decision and signal that dissatisfaction with the personnel changes has not faded.

In the capital, protesters gathered near the Arch of Freedom to mark the anniversary of the first demonstrations, which began on 16 July shortly after Fedorov’s departure. Organisers submitted a paper petition calling for his return, stating they had been unable to create an electronic version on the presidential website. The majority of participants explicitly demanded Fedorov’s reinstatement as defence minister.

Similar marches took place in several other cities the same day. In Dnipro, roughly 100 people walked through the city centre, calling for Fedorov’s return and the continuation of defence-sector reforms. One participant said the action was intended to show the president and parliament that citizens “are still not indifferent,” especially ahead of 18 August, when the Verkhovna Rada is due to return from recess and new ministerial nominations are expected.

In Cherkasy, residents again took to the streets for a fourth consecutive week of protests, starting from Bohdan Khmelnytsky Square. In Mykolaiv, demonstrators marked the 32nd consecutive day of marches under the slogan “Return Fedorov,” addressing their appeals to parliament. One participant, Eva, said the continued presence was necessary “to show that we are still together… because if we fall silent, they simply will not hear us.” In Ivano-Frankivsk, about 80 people held their fourth march, chanting slogans linking Fedorov to military effectiveness and criticising alleged corruption.

Background to the reshuffle

Fedorov was removed on 14 July together with the entire government led by then-Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Zelenskyy had announced the Cabinet overhaul on 12 July as part of a new political strategy, proposing that Svyrydenko take on a different role related to a key partner country. She submitted her resignation the following day, which parliament approved, leaving ministers in acting capacity pending new appointments.

Fedorov confirmed he was leaving the defence portfolio. Zelenskyy initially indicated he would propose Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko for the defence post; he later tasked acting SBU head Yevheniy Khmara with performing the duties of defence minister. Peaceful protests under the slogan “Return Fedorov” began almost immediately and have continued without interruption in multiple cities.

A test of presidential authority

The longevity of the protests is notable. What began as an immediate reaction to a high-profile dismissal has evolved into a sustained, multi-city campaign that directly contests Zelenskyy’s personnel decisions at a time when the president retains significant wartime authority. By repeatedly taking to the streets and framing their demands as a call for competence and continuity in the defence sector, participants are publicly challenging the presidential office’s judgment on one of the most sensitive portfolios in the country.

While the demonstrations remain peaceful and focused on a single personnel issue rather than broader political upheaval, their persistence more than four weeks later—and the explicit targeting of both the president and parliament – illustrates limits to public acquiescence even under martial law. As the Verkhovna Rada prepares to resume work and new ministerial nominations are anticipated, the continued marches serve as a visible reminder that parts of Ukrainian society are prepared to defy the presidential line on the composition of the defence leadership.