# Protests in Kyiv continue as demonstrators demand Mykhailo Fedorov return to Defence Ministry
Demonstrators gathered again in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on July 24 to demand that President Volodymyr Zelensky reinstate Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, according to the Kyiv Independent. The report says the rallies resumed after a three-day pause and that organisers now plan to continue indefinitely until Fedorov is returned to the ministry.
The supplied evidence shows a protest movement that has become sustained rather than symbolic. It says Ukrainians have been demonstrating since July 16 over Fedorov's dismissal and that the turnout on July 24 was lower than a week earlier, though still significant. The same report describes rallies in Kyiv and smaller gatherings elsewhere in the country, indicating that the issue has moved beyond a single-city demonstration.
The immediate political backdrop matters. The Kyiv Independent says Zelensky had already moved on one of the protesters' demands by dismissing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and replacing him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi. That change did not end the protests, because demonstrators shifted their focus to Fedorov's return. In other words, the movement appears to be driven not only by one personnel dispute but by a broader argument over military leadership and governance style.
The article also reports that Zelensky offered Fedorov a prominent government role focused on strengthening the technological sector, and that a person familiar with the matter said the president wanted him to become deputy prime minister for military innovation. Fedorov rejected the proposal, saying he would accept no position other than defence minister. Those details help explain why the protests continued even after the government made an alternative offer.
What the source makes clear is that the dispute is personal, institutional and strategic all at once. The report says tensions between Fedorov and Syrskyi had been expected since Fedorov's appointment and reflected different approaches to military leadership and organisational culture. Zelensky has not given a detailed public explanation beyond referring to the conflict between the two men.
Because this is a domestic politics story in wartime, precision is essential. The article should not overstate the size of the rallies beyond the source's reference to thousands in Kyiv and smaller crowds elsewhere. It should also not say the protests are universally supported inside Ukraine or that they have altered policy beyond the personnel changes already described. The evidence does not go that far.
The verified story is simple: protests resumed across Ukraine, organisers say they will continue until Fedorov is returned to the defence ministry, and the dispute now stands as a live test of how the government manages military leadership, public pressure and wartime reform.
