Eighth Day of Protests in Kyiv: Demands to Replace New Veterans Minister

Protests in Kyiv continued for the eighth consecutive day on 23 July 2026, with demonstrators demanding the reinstatement of Mykhailo Fedorov as Defence Minister, according to Ukrainian public broadcasters Suspilne and Hromadske. Suspilne reports that several hundred people gathered in the capital. Meanwhile, Hromadske notes that participants are also calling for the removal of the newly appointed Minister of Veterans, Vitalii Kim. A sign at the protest read: "The Veterans Minister should be a person who knows the value of human lives."

Correspondents report that protesters chanted slogans including: "You won't be able to ignore us", "Fedorov! Fedorov! Fedorov!", "We stand and will keep standing", "We'll change or we'll perish", "Power belongs to the people", "Salaries for the military, not MPs", and "An ex-serviceman, not Kim."

Protests in support of acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov have been taking place since 16 July near the President's Office in Kyiv and in several other Ukrainian cities. Protesters have called on the authorities to reinstate Fedorov in the new government and to dismiss Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi. Commenting on the upcoming changes at the Defence Ministry, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi had been unable to work together effectively and that problems on the battlefield, in military brigades, and with mobilisation remain unresolved.

Zelenskyy said on 18 July that he had held talks with Fedorov and Syrskyi and promised that "decisions regarding the army will be worked out." Syrskyi apologised to Fedorov on 20 July and stated he had not been aware of the conflict between them. Following six days of protests, President Zelenskyy announced his decision to dismiss Syrskyi as commander-in-chief and appoint Mykhailo Drapatyi as his replacement. Former serviceman Dmytro Koziatynskyi, who previously called for protests against Syrskyi, has urged Ukrainians to join a protest in Kyiv on 24 July demanding Fedorov be reinstated as defence minister.