Demonstrators returned to central Kyiv on Friday to demand the reinstatement of former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov and the resignation of Armed Forces commander-in-chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Protesters gathered in central Kyiv for a second consecutive day on Friday, continuing demonstrations against the removal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine’s defence minister.

Residents returned to Ivan Franko Square, near the Office of the President, carrying handmade placards and chanting: “MPs, get to work”, “Fedorov is defence minister” and “Syrskyi must resign”.

The demonstration on 17 July followed a larger rally at the same location on Thursday, which continued until late in the evening. Protests were also held in several other Ukrainian cities, including Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Zaporizhzhia.

More than 1,000 people were reported to have attended the first Kyiv rally. Participants included veterans, civil society activists, journalists and younger Ukrainians who associate Fedorov with the expansion of military technology and digital reform.

The demonstrations began after Fedorov’s departure from the Defence Ministry during a wider government reshuffle. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Yevhenii Khmara, the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, as acting defence minister.

Fedorov, 35, had served as defence minister for approximately six months after previously leading Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. His supporters credit him with accelerating the development of Ukraine’s drone forces, reforming defence procurement and introducing more extensive use of battlefield data.

After leaving office, Fedorov listed several programmes pursued under his leadership, including efforts to prevent Russian forces from using Starlink terminals, expansion of domestic drone production and measures intended to disrupt Russian military logistics.

His removal also brought into public view a dispute between the former minister and General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.

Speaking after his departure, Fedorov accused Syrskyi of obstructing reforms and failing to adapt the military command system to technological changes on the battlefield. He questioned whether Ukraine could defeat Russia under the existing command structure.

Fedorov also alleged that Syrskyi had pressed Zelenskyy to choose between them following months of disagreement. The president acknowledged tensions within the defence leadership and called for unity, but retained Syrskyi in command.

The protesters’ demand for Syrskyi’s resignation shows that the demonstrations have expanded beyond the question of a single ministerial appointment. They have become an expression of opposition to the direction of Ukraine’s military leadership and concern over whether reforms begun under Fedorov will continue.

Supporters of the former minister argue that his approach reflected the changing character of the war, particularly Ukraine’s reliance on drones, digital targeting systems and rapid domestic weapons development to compensate for Russia’s larger conventional forces.

Fedorov’s record, however, was also contested. His critics questioned the speed and practical effect of some reforms, including efforts to change military recruitment and procurement. His short tenure meant that several initiatives remained incomplete when the government was reshuffled.

The protests represent an unusual public challenge to a senior wartime personnel decision. Although political disagreement has continued throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, street demonstrations directly concerning the composition of Ukraine’s military leadership have remained relatively rare.

They also come at a sensitive moment for Zelenskyy. The defence dispute coincides with the installation of a new government and renewed questions about the balance between the presidential administration, civilian defence officials and the military command.

Fedorov said on Thursday that Zelenskyy could still reconsider the Defence Ministry appointment and expressed confidence that the situation could be corrected. No decision to reinstate him had been announced by Friday morning.

The continuation of the rally for a second day indicates that opposition to his removal has not subsided following the appointment of an acting successor. It remains unclear whether the demonstrations will influence the president’s eventual nomination for the permanent defence minister post.