‘You Messed Up – Fix It’: Kyiv Protesters Demand Fedorov’s Return on Day Nine

Thousands of protesters gathered in central Kyiv on Friday for the ninth consecutive day, demanding that Mykhailo Fedorov be returned as defense minister and calling for the continuation of military reforms.

Around 2,000–3,000 people gathered at Franko Square, with more protesters continuing to arrive. Demonstrators chanted Fedorov’s name and repeated the rally’s main slogan: “You messed up – fix it.”

Protesters said they were satisfied with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to remove Oleksandr Syrsky from his position as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – a move they had previously called for.

However, protesters said the shake-up cannot end halfway, insisting that Fedorov’s return as defense minister remains their top demand.

The rallies began after Fedorov’s removal on July 15 and have become the longest-running demonstrations in Ukraine directly linked to a wartime personnel decision.

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Fedorov was dismissed after repeated clashes with Ukraine’s military leadership over the pace and direction of reforms.

Demonstrators said they want Zelensky to hear their demands and reverse what they consider a key mistake in wartime personnel decisions.

Fedorov served as defense minister for around seven months, during which Ukraine accelerated defense procurement reforms, expanded the use of unmanned systems, and strengthened its drone warfare capabilities.

Under his tenure, Ukraine launched operations targeting Russian oil facilities and logistics networks and secured the removal of Starlink access for Russian forcess operating on Ukrainian territory.

At Friday’s rally, protesters also called for the dismissal of Vitaliy Kim as veterans affairs minister, a position he received days earlier. Critics argued that Kim lacks military service experience and combat background.

Meanwhile, protesters have turned the rallies into a mix of activism and humor, setting up informal aid points distributing tea, water and sweets.

They mocked claims that demonstrators were being paid to attend, joking that they were “selling protest participation for candy” and offering participants two sweets and a cup of tea.