Nationwide protests had continued into their fourth day on Sunday, July 19, following the ouster of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov earlier in the week. Fedorov, after his resignation, accused Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky of sowing division and hindering reforms, confirming the disputes were the root causes of his removal.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Ukrainians have taken to the streets requesting Fedorov’s reinstatement, with reports suggesting that Fedorov had turned down other positions offered by President Volodymyr Zelensky as of Monday afternoon. A placard that roughly translates to “Yes to data-driven reform, no to carpet management” during a protest against the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in Kyiv on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Korbinian Leo Kramer) A placard that roughly translates to “Yes to data-driven reform, no to carpet management” – the latter an expression criticizing top-down management. Fedorov’s brief, six-month tenure at the defense ministry had been centered on ridding the ministry of bureaucracy, with notable achievements including the removal of Starlink for Russian troops and the beginning of Kyiv’s effective drone-strike campaign against Russian oil and logistics.