In the center of Kyiv, at Ivan Franko Square, in close proximity to the President's Office, a large-scale public action is unfolding. The reason for the gatherings was recent personnel changes in the country's government. At the venue, correspondents recorded a unique organization of the process: dozens of placards and banners made of cardboard are laid out on the lawns and in the basin of a non-functioning fountain.
Organizers chose the format of a so-called "cardboard protest" to minimize costs and simplify participant rotation in the conditions of summer heat, when the air temperature reaches +32°C. Activists are urging citizens to leave prepared slogans in the square so that new arrivals can freely use them to express their position.
An analysis of the content of the visual agitation shows that the vector of protesters' demands has undergone significant changes. If at the initial stage of the action the slogans were focused on supporting former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov with calls to "Return Fedorov" and "Innovations protect the warrior", now the focus has shifted to more radical demands.
Placards are increasingly calling for a change in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, participants are demanding the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky. In addition, there are demands for representatives of the ruling parliamentary faction to hold direct consultations with the participants of the gathering.
The composition of the participants of the action also has its own specifics. The core of the protesters consists of representatives of the IT industry, volunteer associations, and unmanned system operators. The key demand of the group remains the review of personnel policy in the defense sector.
Law and order on the square is maintained by the "Dialogue Police" unit of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv. At the moment, there have been no recorded facts of forceful confrontation, use of special means, or physical force by law enforcement officers. The event is taking place within the framework of the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law", which requires strict coordination of mass gatherings with military-civilian administration bodies.
At the time of writing, official comments from the leadership of the President's Office, the Cabinet of Ministers, or the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the demands of the protesters and the change in rhetoric at Franko Square have not been received. The situation remains dynamic, and public attention is focused on the authorities' reaction to the new slogans heard in the center of the capital.
