“Bring Fedorov back!” & “Shame!” echoed through #Kyiv as hundreds protested #Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s move to replace Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

The protest came as Parliament approved #SerhiiKoretskyi as Ukraine’s new PM in a major govt reshuffle.… pic.twitter.com/6YcLx0Rpoy

— Salar News (@EnglishSalar) July 16, 2026

The unrest comes at a critical stage of the war, with Ukraine facing relentless Russian missile attacks even as its military has gained momentum through long-range drone strikes targeting Russia’s logistics and energy infrastructure. Overnight, Russian missile strikes on Kyiv killed two people and injured five others, including a child, according to Ukrainian authorities, Reuters reported.

Popular reformer leaves after just six months

Fedorov, 35, is widely regarded as one of Ukraine’s leading modernisers. Before taking over the Defence Ministry earlier this year, he served as minister for digital transformation, helping build Ukraine’s internationally recognised e-governance platforms and spearheading the rapid expansion of the country’s drone warfare programme, news agency Associated Press reported.

During his six months as defence minister, he accelerated drone procurement, pushed technology-driven military reforms and sought to modernise defence purchasing in a bid to help Ukraine offset Russia’s larger military. Western officials and analysts have credited those efforts with improving Ukraine’s battlefield performance, AP reported.

Public feud with army chief spills into the open

Hours after his dismissal became public, Fedorov revealed he had rejected an offer from Zelenskyy to serve as a presidential adviser and launched an unusually direct attack on Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

“Instead of working out how to defeat Russia … he has figured out how to split the country,” Fedorov told reporters, accusing Syrskyi of blocking ministry reforms and failing to resolve internal disputes, Reuters reported.

Syrskyi responded by urging officials to remain focused on the war, while appearing to mock Fedorov’s criticism.

“And now in this city, briefings can be held, visions can be developed, and decisions can be made,” the general said, referring to Kyiv’s security after Russia’s failed attempt to seize the capital in 2022, according to Reuters.

Asked about the dispute, Zelenskyy declined to side with either man.

“The president is not supposed to pick sides in this kind of situation during wartime,” he said.

“I would very much like unity. The sides did not find it,” Reuters reported.

Air force commander resigns in protest

The political turmoil deepened after Pavlo Yelizarov, deputy commander of Ukraine’s Air Force and a senior figure in the country’s drone warfare programme, resigned in protest over Fedorov’s dismissal.

Calling the decision “a great evil” for Ukraine’s defence capability, Yelizarov warned that removing Fedorov would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia’s escalating missile and drone attacks, AP reported.

Why Ukrainians are protesting

Many protesters said Fedorov had become a symbol of military modernisation at a time when Ukraine faces mounting battlefield and manpower challenges.

“We’re in favour of an upgrade—not a downgrade,” one protester told Reuters, describing Fedorov as an effective manager who had delivered tangible results. Others demanded that Syrskyi — not Fedorov — should leave his post.

Supporters argue Fedorov’s efforts to reform defence procurement and overhaul the ministry challenged entrenched interests within Ukraine’s military establishment. Critics, however, say he did not move quickly enough on long-promised recruitment reforms, according to AP.

🚨🇺🇦BREAKING: Mass protests against Zelensky’s regime have just erupted in Kyiv!

Ukrainians have taken to the streets, demanding an end to forced mobilization, corruption, and the war.

They want free elections, a normal country, and a government that answers to its people.…

— Mario ZNA (@MarioBojic) July 16, 2026

Government reshuffle comes at a critical stage of the war

The protests unfolded as Ukraine’s parliament approved former Naftogaz chief Serhii Koretskyi as the country’s new prime minister, Reuters reported. Zelenskyy has described the reshuffle as necessary to “renew” the government and prepare the country for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure.

Parliament also reappointed Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko, but appointments for the defence and foreign ministries were deferred because those positions require presidential nominations. Lawmakers are expected to revisit the issue when parliament reconvenes next month, Reuters reported.

The Kremlin said it was closely monitoring the developments, Reuters added.

For many Ukrainians, however, the reshuffle has become far more than a cabinet change. The rare street protests, the public feud between Ukraine’s defence minister and military chief, and the resignation of a senior Air Force commander have turned the episode into one of the most significant political tests of Zelenskyy’s wartime leadership.

(With inputs from Reuters and AP)