---
title: "«Don't break what works»: March in Kyiv continues demanding Fedorov's return to the Ministry of Defense"
description: "On July 31, a protest march took place in Kyiv demanding the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the post of Minister of Defense. Participants of the column from Shevchenko Park to Franko Square chanted slogans about the need for dialogue with the authorities. The action became a response to recent personnel changes in the government. 🇺🇦📢"
date: 2026-07-31T17:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/dont-break-what-works-march-in-kyiv-continues-demanding-fedorovs-return-to-the-ministry-of-defense
tags: [kyiv, mikhail-fedorov, vladimir-zelensky, ukraine-protests, sergey-koretsky]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# «Don't break what works»: March in Kyiv continues demanding Fedorov's return to the Ministry of Defense

![Protesters in Kyiv hold a large Ukrainian flag, demanding the return of Alexey Fedorov to the Ministry of Defense](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/31/v-kieve-prodolzhaetsya-shestvie-za-vozvrashchenie-fedorova-v-minoborony/v-kieve-prodolzhaetsya-shestvie-za-vozvrashchenie-fedorova-v-minoborony-1.webp)

On July 31, a large-scale protest action unfolded in Kyiv, with participants demanding dialogue and reforms in the defense sector from the authorities. A column of citizens, gathered near the Taras Shevchenko monument in the eponymous park, marched towards Ivan Franko Square. The central demand of the rally remains the return of Mykhailo Fedorov to the post of Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

### March in support of reforms

The action began at 19:00. The initiator of the march was veteran Dmytro Kozyatynskyi, who the day before called on citizens to join the demand for quality communication from the authorities. According to him, the recent interview of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy failed to clarify the situation and answer the questions worrying society across the country.

Participants of the column, stretching from the park to the Franko Theater, chanted slogans: "Power is the people", "Don't break what works" and "Shame". Organizers emphasize that the main goal of the event is to make the authorities hear the citizens. Participants are convinced that it is precisely Fedorov's cooperation with the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatyi, that can strengthen the country's defense capability.

### Political context

Protest activity flared up against the backdrop of personnel changes in the government. On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada approved a new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Serhiy Koretskyi. As part of this rotation, Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed from the post of head of the Ministry of Defense, and Yevhen Khmara became the acting head. Since the dismissal, actions demanding Fedorov's return to the post have not subsided in various cities of Ukraine.

Analysts draw parallels between current events and last year's protests, which demanded support for the work of the NABU and SAPO. In the evening of July 31, after the end of the march, some participants began to disperse, however, the flow of people to the rally site near the Franko Theater continued to grow, testifying to high public tension.