In a clear reflection of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s significant popularity within civil society, Ukrainians have organized a rare wartime protest to voice their support for him. The calls to demonstrate surfaced on social media almost immediately after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Fedorov’s dismissal on Wednesday evening. The resulting online anger quickly transitioned into coordinated plans to gather across major cities at 09:01 on Thursday, a time chosen to follow the daily nationwide minute of silence that commemorates fallen Ukrainian fighters and civilians.
This event marks the first time since last summer’s protests in support of Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs that online mobilization has successfully transitioned into street demonstrations, with participants directing their frustration squarely at President Zelenskyy’s decision. As the movement gained momentum, citizens began sharing ideas for hand-made signs, with many sketching messages on cardboard. Common slogans posted online included "The people protect the minister of defence," "More work done in half a year than some people do in two," and "You have fired the wrong one," all calling on the president to reverse his decision.
Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran and a leading organizer of last summer's mass protests in support of NABU and SAPO, was among the prominent voices criticizing the move. He posted on social media that the defence minister was being removed in the middle of finally effective reforms, warning that he would be replaced by someone under whom any hope of reform could be forgotten. Koziatynskyi was referring to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, who is poised to replace Fedorov. He urged caring people to gather at Franko Square to show the president that the public is against constant government reshuffles and the replacement of effective ministers with what he termed "convenient opportunists." He added that Ukraine would never defeat Russia as long as total stagnation and corruption continue to rule the army and ministries.
The backlash extended into the military hierarchy as well. On July 16, the deputy commander of Ukraine's Air Force, Pavlo Yelizarov, announced his resignation. In a Facebook post attaching his resignation letter, Yelizarov stated that the dismissal of Fedorov—whose key priorities included reforming the air defence sector—would cause more casualties and destruction in Ukraine from Russian missile and drone attacks. He explicitly described the removal of Fedorov as a "great evil for the country's defence capability."
Other influential figures from civil society and the military joined the chorus of disapproval. Serhii Sternenko, a prominent activist and blogger who served as Fedorov's adviser on drone warfare, called Fedorov the best Minister of Defence in the country's history and labeled his firing the "greatest demoralisation since the war began."
According to numerous reports, the dismissal followed a conflict between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Friction reportedly arose over Fedorov’s specific proposals for military reform and his vision for how the Defence Ministry should operate. The dispute has been characterized as a generational clash between a young, innovative manager with a startup background and a more traditional military general. When Fedorov confirmed his dismissal on Wednesday, he provided an account of his team's achievements and failures during his six-month tenure. Regarding his "failures," he noted that he did not manage to complete the organizational transformation of the Ministry of Defence in line with NATO standards and "common sense." While he noted that a new structure had been put in place, many people were made redundant, and numerous processes were set in motion, he admitted that it was necessary to be even more decisive in dismissing those who were holding back the changes.
“I call on all caring people to come out tomorrow at 9:01 a.m. to Franko Square and show the president that we are against constant reshuffles in the government and replacing effective ministers with convenient opportunists.”
