Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – As protestors gathered across Ukraine for another demonstration against the ousting of a reformist defence minister, President Volodymyr Zelensky was facing one of the most urgent political crises of the Russian invasion.
Issued on: 20/07/2026 - 18:06
3 min Reading time
The fifth day of demonstrations -- the longest sustained protests, and most directly related to the conduct of the war -- were sparked by the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular defence minister sacked in a reshuffle after repeatedly clashing with the army's top command.Hundreds have shown up in the capital Kyiv since last week, beating makeshift cardboard signs and singing the Ukrainian anthem -- gathering despite Russia launching nightly air attacks."This will continue for as long as it takes, it will end when our president gives us an answer," protester Iryna Kostiuk told AFP.As the anger among the young crowds in Kyiv shows little sign of fading, Zelensky is trying to strike a solution that satisfies all sides to avoid divisions in the face of the ongoing invasion.For days, he has been locked in meetings with his top advisors and military hierarchy.On the agenda -- according to Ukrainian media and experts -- whether to bring back Fedorov, and the fate of under-pressure commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.A spokesperson for the presidency said a decision would not be expected on Monday.'Syrsky out!'"The situation is undoubtedly serious... we are seeing the list of demands grow," said Oleksandr Salizhenko, an expert within the Chesno movement. Crowds had first gathered spontaneously on Thursday morning in support of Fedorov, a tech-savvy young minister whose efforts to modernise the armed forces often put him at odds with the military establishment.
