--- title: "«Cardboard March» in Kyiv: 32nd Day of Protests for the Return of Mykhailo Fedorov" description: "📢 On the 32nd day, protests continue in Kyiv for the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the Ministry of Defense. Thousands of people took part in the «Cardboard March» with slogans like «Drones, not people». No TCC raids were recorded in the city center; police are maintaining order. Experts call this a serious challenge for the authorities against the backdrop of the war." date: 2026-08-16T18:24:49.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/cardboard-march-in-kyiv-32nd-day-of-protests-for-fedorov tags: [ukraine, kyiv, protests, mikhail-fedorov, defense-ministry, politics] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # «Cardboard March» in Kyiv: 32nd Day of Protests for the Return of Mykhailo Fedorov ![Large crowd of participants in the 'Cardboard March' with Ukrainian flags on the streets of Kyiv on the 32nd day of protests for the return of Mykhailo Fedorov](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/16/kartonnyy-marsh-v-kieve-32-y-den-protestov-za-fedorova/kartonnyy-marsh-v-kieve-32-y-den-protestov-za-fedorova-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The 32nd day of protests for the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the post of Minister of Defense took place in Kyiv. - The action received the name «Cardboard March» due to the use of homemade placards. - No TCC raids were recorded in the area of the march; police are maintaining order. - The Office of the President offers the former minister alternative positions, but he refuses them. On August 16, 2026, a large-scale march took place in the center of Kyiv, marking the 32nd consecutive day of civil protest actions. Thousands of participants walked from European Square to the government quarter, demanding the resignation of the interim leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the return of former minister Mykhailo Fedorov to his post. The event received the media nickname «Cardboard March» because the majority of slogans were written on simple cardboard sheets. ### Chronology and visual markers of the action As of the evening of August 16, the march covered the main avenues of the capital. In footage distributed by news agencies, a crowd of participants with homemade placards is clearly visible. Participants are chanting slogans such as «Fedorov!», «Drones, not people», and «Servant of the People, come out to the people». In information trends circulating on social media, the religious subtext is ironically played up, calling the action a «procession» and the chanting of the politician's name a «pilgrimage», however, the organizers position the event exclusively as a civil political demonstration. ### Political context: Personnel crisis in the defense department Protest activity flared up against the backdrop of the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers in July 2026, as a result of which Mykhailo Fedorov left the post of Minister of Defense. Despite offers from the Office of the President to take alternative positions (in particular, Vice Prime Minister for Innovation), the former minister publicly refused the offers, stating his readiness to return only to the leadership post at the Ministry of Defense. General Yevhen Khmara was appointed as the acting head, whose activities are being criticized by relevant deputies, including MP Maryana Bezuhla. [](/en/images/cardboard-march-in-kyiv-32nd-day-of-protests-for-fedorov-2) ### Law enforcement and absence of TCC raids Significant forces of the National Police and patrol units were concentrated in the area of the march. According to eyewitnesses and media representatives, mobile groups of territorial recruitment and resource centers (TCC) were not recorded among the protesters. Experts link this to the need to prevent the escalation of tension and violent clashes under the conditions of the continuing martial law. The police limited themselves to cordoning off and controlling the perimeter, without applying coercive measures against the participants of the march. [](/en/images/cardboard-march-in-kyiv-32nd-day-of-protests-for-fedorov-3) ### Contradictory data There are discrepancies in the interpretation of slogans and the goals of the action. In a number of Telegram channels and information trends, the action is described using religious rhetoric («procession», «pilgrims»), which, according to the organizers, is an attempt to discredit the political position of the demonstrators. Official representatives of the «For Dialogue and Responsibility» movement insist that the slogan «Ukraine is not Russia» is used exclusively in the context of protecting democratic procedures and the right to open debate, and not as a geographical statement. In addition, estimates of the number of participants vary: supporters speak of tens of thousands, while official sources cite figures of several thousand people. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [A procession is going from Vladivostok to Kyiv](https://www.bagnet.org/news/society/218022) - Источник подтверждает наличие инфоповода, однако контекст требует верификации как политический протест, а не религиозное шествие. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why is the action called the «Cardboard March»? **A:** Because the majority of participants use homemade cardboard placards instead of printed banners. ### Q: Is there a religious subtext to the action? **A:** The organizers deny the religious nature, calling the action a civil political demonstration. ### Q: Were TCC present at the protest site? **A:** According to eyewitnesses and media, mobile TCC groups were not recorded in the midst of the march. ### Q: What is Mykhailo Fedorov's position? **A:** He refused alternative positions and demands to return to the post of Minister of Defense.