More than 5,000 people take to streets in Kyiv to protest dismissal of Defence Minister Fedorov. VIDEO&PHOTOS
On the evening of 17 July, Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv for the second consecutive day. They are demanding that Mykhailo Fedorov be reinstated as defence minister and that Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi be dismissed.
A Censor.NET correspondent reports this from the scene.
There are more people than yesterday
The rally is taking place on Franko Square, where hundreds of people have already gathered after beginning to arrive in the afternoon. Today, the protesters are also actively demanding the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi.
The protesters are chanting: "Syrskyi out", "Syrskyi is the devil", "Shame", "One, united and indivisible Ukraine", "Fedorov", "We stood, we stand and we will keep standing", and "MPs, get to work".
The protesters are holding cardboard placards reading: "Exchange prisoners, not what works", "Is this really progress and not degradation?", "I want to see Russia burn — keep Fedorov as defence minister", "Syrskyi out", and others.
The number of people at the rally is estimated at more than 5,000.
New Cabinet of Ministers and Fedorov’s resignation
- On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada supported a resolution on the resignation of Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. The entire Cabinet of Ministers automatically resigned with her.
- On July 15, Mykhailo Fedorov said that he was stepping down as head of the Defence Ministry.
- Before that, several media outlets and MPs reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to replace him with Ihor Klymenko, the incumbent interior minister.
- Rallies in support of Mykhailo Fedorov were held in Dnipro, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Cherkasy and other cities. Participants are protesting against his resignation.
- On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint the new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Serhii Koretskyi was appointed Prime Minister.
