EditProtests sweep Ukraine in support of dismissed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov
Massive social media storm as Ukrainians demand Fedorov’s return, with veterans and tech advocates leading the outcry
On Friday, peaceful protests continued for a second day in Kyiv and multiple Ukrainian cities against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to remove Mykhailo Fedorov as Defence Minister. Crowds gathered with handmade cardboard signs bearing slogans such as “Bring Back Fedorov,” “Fedorov – Minister of Defence,” “Drones, Not People,” “Better Swap Prisoners, Not Fedorov,” and “Don’t Fix What Works.”
Friday night—- the protests are continuing. Now even more people and they are demanding dismissal of Syrskyi, not just reinstating Fedorov. Photos by NAKO. pic.twitter.com/yI5oWRc4Tc
— Olena Tregub (@OTregub) July 17, 2026
In Kyiv, demonstrators assembled near the Ivan Franko Theater, chanting “Shame!” and calling for parliament to return from recess. Similar actions took place in Odesa (hundreds on Deribasivska Street), Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro (around 300 people), Mykolaiv, Lviv (on Svobody Avenue), Cherkasy (about 150 participants), and other cities including Lviv, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, and Zaporizhzhia. Many protesters brought children and pets, and passing drivers honked in support.
Participants, including veterans, military families, and civilians, highlighted Fedorov’s short but impactful tenure. They praised his push for technological reforms, drone production (“Army of Drones”), transparent procurement, and efforts to modernize the military amid the ongoing war. Many viewed his dismissal – linked to reported tensions with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi – as a step backward for innovation in favor of the traditional military establishment.
Social media storm
The dismissal triggered a massive wave of reactions online, with hashtags like #BringBackFedorov and #FedorovMinister trending strongly. Public figures, veterans, and ordinary Ukrainians expressed disappointment and concern over lost momentum in defence reforms.
Veteran and former combat medic Dmytro Kozyatynskyi helped organise protests and stated: “Removing him now, when effective reforms have finally begun, is unacceptable. We will never defeat Russia if Soviet-style thinking dominates our army and ministries.”
Drone unit commander Pavlo Yelizarov resigned from a senior Air Force post in protest, calling the decision “a great evil for the country’s defence capability.”
Cultural project founder Bohdan Lohvynenko (Ukraїner) wrote: “The dismissal of a figure of this magnitude without any proper explanation sends a signal that the authorities no longer consider it necessary to be accountable to society.”
Former President Poroshenko, against whom Zelenskyy has taken punitive actions including sanctions, strongly criticised on X the opaque and unconstitutional manner in which the recent government reshuffle and key ministerial appointments were handled.
Many users and military bloggers noted Fedorov’s achievements, including restricting Russian access to Starlink, advancing fiber-optic drones, and redirecting funds toward high-tech capabilities that have delivered battlefield results.
Many Ukrainians, particularly among the younger generation, soldiers, and reform-minded citizens, view Fedorov as a strong and promising future presidential candidate. At the age of 35, he meets the constitutional requirement to run for President of Ukraine, which mandates that candidates must be at least 35 years old on the day of the election.
The protests and online backlash reflect broader frustration with the government reshuffle during wartime, with many viewing Fedorov – a young technocrat credited with modernizing Ukraine’s defence – as a symbol of needed change. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Yevhen Khmara, the acting head of Ukraine’s Security Service, as acting Minister of Defence to replace Fedorov following his dismissal amid a government reshuffle.
EU officials express surprise over Fedorov’s dismissal amid Ukraine’s government reshuffle
The article in Ukrainian by EUalive’s partner Suspilne can be found here.
Caption: Ukrainians protest against the dismissal of Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, 16 July 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Protesters in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities call for Fedorov to be kept on as defence minister in the government changes process in Ukraine. The protesters hold placards reading ‘Fedorov is the defence minister’, ‘Don’t mess with what works’, ‘Hands off Fedorov’, ‘Bring Fedorov back’, and more. EPA/MAXYM MARUSENKO
Updated: July 17, 2026 - 22:17
