NV joins marchers in Kyiv as cardboard protests hit one-month mark
Hundreds of Kyiv residents marched peacefully through the city center toward the Presidential Office on Bankova Street late on Aug. 16, demanding the reinstatement of dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, NV reported from the scene.
On August 16, Kyiv residents gathered peacefully to demand the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to NV's report from the scene. The march commenced late that evening, with demonstrators chanting "Umerov is the devil!" as they made their way through the city center. The protesters, who have been on the streets for a month since President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's unexpected reshuffle of the government, were driven by concerns over Fedorov's dismissal and broader defense procurement issues.
Ukrainian IT specialist Lesya Katsalova, who auctioned a recovered Russian drone for support of the 101st Brigade, addressed the crowd's skepticism about Zelenskyy's willingness to address their demands directly. Katsalova suspected that higher authorities might be protecting flawed defense procurement practices, and she attributed Fedorov's dismissal to political ambition.
The march, led by military veteran Dmytro Kozyatynskyi, saw the collective singing of Ukrainian folk songs and the display of handmade cardboard signs. As the demonstration moved toward central Kyiv, participants discussed their hopes for a response from Zelenskyy and the importance of maintaining civic engagement. The march concluded peacefully, leaving the core political question open as parliament prepared to review the defense ministry post.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
