Military officer Mykhailova: I received calls asking where young man organising protests in support of Fedorov is serving
Alina Mykhailova, a volunteer and military medic, has spoken out about the pressure being exerted on military personnel who support peaceful protests. According to her, taking part in such events could result in reprimands, loss of rank and ‘preventative talks’ with the command.
She made this statement on Facebook, as reported by Censor.NET.
Details
"Repression" in the army in 2026 is when you get a call from the USF Command with a very urgent desire to find out which unit a young man is serving in, a man who writes online about protests and calls on people to join in.
And, as you can imagine, it’s not to present him – or me, as his commander – with a certificate. Just to clarify: Dmytro Koziatynskyi is a combat medic with the ‘Ulf’ medical service of the ‘Wolves of Da Vinci’ battalion, who left the army a YEAR AGO. In other words, he no longer has any connection whatsoever with the Armed Forces.
But just as the command often doesn’t know what’s really happening on the front line, so too does it clearly lack an up-to-date understanding of who has long since left the army," she emphasised.
Mukhailova noted that today "soldiers who express their opinions are being targeted".
"Who, God forbid, even take part in peaceful demonstrations. Yes, even during their lawful leave. Because we’re just enslaved serfs here. I really want civilians, veterans (who may have already forgotten how the military machine works) and the media to understand what supporting such demonstrations actually costs serving military personnel.
When I took part in a protest in Dnipro in support of NABU and the SAPO, I personally was told almost nothing. But my superiors received plenty of ‘attention’ at the time.
For many military personnel, supporting protests can cost them their jobs. Their rank. Reprimands. Ruined career prospects. Or simply a ‘preventative chat’ to ensure they don’t forget where they are and whom they SERVE," she added.
Mykhailova urged the General Staff and the President’s Office to "find crisis managers who are capable of thinking several steps ahead and understanding the consequences of their own decisions".
"Because we’re not in russia. And it won’t be possible to drive the Ukrainian army into a silent corral. Because a Ukrainian soldier is not just a person in uniform. They are, first and foremost, a citizen who has taken up arms to defend freedom. And it would be strange if, whilst defending freedom for everyone, they themselves were not entitled to it," the military medic concluded.
As is well known, Dmytro Koziatynskyi called on everyone to attend a protest rally at 8.00 pm on Franko Square in Kyiv.
The new Cabinet and Fedorov’s resignation
- On 14 July, the Verkhovna Rada approved a resolution on the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The entire Cabinet automatically resigned along with her.
- On 15 July, Mykhailo Fedorov announced that he was stepping down as head of the Ministry of Defence.
- Prior to this, a number of media outlets and MPs had reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to replace him with Ihor Klymenko — the current Minister of the Interior.
- Rallies in support of Mykhailo Fedorov took place in Dnipro, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Cherkasy and other cities. Participants are protesting against his resignation.
- On 16 July, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint a new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The Prime Minister is Serhii Koretskyi.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would nominate Yevhen Khmara for the post of Minister of Defence of Ukraine. Prior to this, he had instructed Khmara to act as head of the Ministry of Defence.
