Mass march for reforms in defence sector takes place in Kyiv – photos
A mass march calling for dialogue and reforms in the defence sector has begun in central Kyiv.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda livestream
Details: Thousands of people gathered in Taras Shevchenko Park at 19:00. The participants honoured fallen soldiers with a minute of silence and sang the Ukrainian national anthem.
Ex-serviceman Dmytro Koziatynskyi said in a speech in Taras Shevchenko Park that the march is "for communication, for dialogue, for reforms, for Ukraine to be able to emerge from this situation stronger".
The participants then headed towards the Franko Theatre, chanting "Fedorov!", "Power belongs to the people" and "We care".
The participants are carrying a large banner reading "Fedorov MD" (Minister of Defence), demanding that Mykhailo Fedorov be reinstated as defence minister.
The people are also holding banners reading "Is the gravy train more important than the country?", "Lord, give our government wisdom, preferably today" and "Bring back what works", among others.
Previously: On 28 July, Koziatynskyi, who had previously called on people to attend protests against the dismissal of Fedorov, announced a protest march for dialogue and reforms in Kyiv on the evening of 31 July and invited other cities to join.
Background:
- On 16 July, protests began in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demanding that Fedorov be reinstated as defence minister and that Oleksandr Syrskyi be dismissed from the position of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- On 21 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Mykhailo Drapatyi will become the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Koziatynskyi called on Ukrainians to join an indefinite protest demanding Fedorov's return to the Ministry of Defence.
- Zelenskyy had previously acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi had been unable to find common ground. In a new interview on 27 July, the president commented on the reasons behind the personnel decisions and again stressed that he had to resolve problems in cooperation between the army command and the Ministry of Defence and ensure unity in addressing key wartime tasks.
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