Protests in Ukraine after the dismissal of Defence Minister Fedorov

Kyiv – 19 July 2026: Following the dismissal of Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, protests against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s cabinet reshuffle continue. In Kyiv, hundreds of people once again gathered near the presidential office in recent days. Demonstrations were also reported from other cities. The protesters are primarily demanding that the popular minister be reappointed and that reforms at the Ministry of Defense continue.

Zelenskyy removed Fedorov from office on 15 July as part of a sweeping government reshuffle. At the same time, the leadership of the government also changed. The Ministry of Defense is being run on an interim basis, while the search for a permanent successor is causing political problems. According to reports, members of the Verkhovna Rada are reluctant to confirm a new defense minister as long as the reasons for the change remain unclear.

Fedorov had only been defense minister since January 2026. Before that, as Minister of Digital Transformation, he had shaped the expansion of digital government services. At the Ministry of Defense, his name was associated with expanding domestic drone production, greater involvement of private defense companies, and new procurement procedures for the armed forces. This modernization earned him support among parts of the military, volunteer initiatives, and civil society.

At the center of the controversy is an apparently fundamental conflict over the conduct of the war. Fedorov and his supporters favor technologically supported, decentralized capabilities: drones, electronic warfare, automated procurement, and rapid adaptation to developments at the front. By contrast, the military leadership around Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stands for a more hierarchically directed army. The two approaches do not necessarily exclude one another, but the personnel change has made the contrast visible.

Zelenskyy defended the reshuffle by citing the need to prepare the state leadership for the next phase of the war and a difficult winter. Russia is continuing its attacks, while Kyiv must simultaneously ensure troop supplies, air defense, and economic stability. Under precisely these circumstances, the question gains additional weight of whether a change at the top of the Ministry of Defense increases operational capability or interrupts important reforms.

Politically, the development is unusual because public protests are rare in a country under martial law. As early as July 2025, Zelenskyy had to withdraw a planned restriction of the independence of anti-corruption bodies following demonstrations. The current protests therefore do not represent an immediate change of power, but they indicate the limits of the resilience of the Ukrainian consensus. The decisive factor will be whether Zelenskyy can defuse the conflict institutionally while maintaining confidence in the military leadership.