Zelenskyy removed Fedorov the then minister of defence on July 15, 2026, during a major wartime cabinet reshuffle. Fedorov was popular among many, both in the army and civil society, and the decision triggered an immediate public outcry with street demonstrations across Ukraine.
On July 21, Zelenskyy met one of the protesters' key demands by dismissing Syrskyi the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine but later appointed Major-General Yevhen Khmara as the new minister of defence in August.
The images below were taken between 31 July and 7 August 2026 in Kharkiv.
The images below were taken between 31 July and 7 August 2026 in Kharkiv.
“What time is it? TIME TO BRING FEDOROV BACK”; “NO TO CORRUPTION”; “THE SKY IS BLUE / THE GRASS IS GREEN / FEDOROV = MoD”
ARE YOU A SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE OR OF CORRUPTION?
“FAITH IN A BRIGHT FUTURE IS NOW IN QUESTION”; “THE BRAVE ALWAYS POSSESS HAPPINESS”
“BRING FEDOROV BACK.”
I STAND FOR THE AFU / FEDOROV = MoD (AFU, Armed Forces of Ukraine) Make borshch great again!
“CORRUPTION HAS DEFEATED COMMON SENSE AGAIN”; “FEDOROV BACK TO THE MoD”
“CANDIDATES FOR DEFENCE MINISTER”
“WE HAVEN’T PUT A FULL STOP TO IT.”; “HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE?”; “FEDOROV = MoD!”; “CAN’T HEAR US VERY WEL?”; “GIVE US A HONK”; “LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE — NOW THAT’S POWERFUL”; “HONK!”; “FEDOROV’S dismissal is a gift to the russists. SYRSKYY’S dismissal would be a gift to the AFU”
DONATE TOWARD FPV KAMIKAZE DRONES
Return Fedorov to MoD; Sorry for the inconvenience, we are changing the world.
THANKS FOR THE BUTCHER. NOW PUT THE TECH GUY IN AS MINISTER”; “TECHNOLOGY FROM THE YEAR 3000
Problems cannot be silenced; We are standing. We will keep standing.;!; Don't touch what works - Don't put a full stop on the country; Kim is not a veteran/minister=veteran; Fedorov MoD
OURS!
“FUCK KNOWS, SOME FUCKING SHIT IS GOING ON”
“WHAT THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU UNDERSTAND? BRING FEDOROV BACK!”; “FREEDOM ISN’T GIVEN / IT’S TAKEN”; “WE ARE THE POWER, DUMBASS”; “DRAPATYI FOR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF / FEDOROV FOR MoD / A VETERAN INSTEAD OF KIM”“WHAT THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU UNDERSTAND? BRING FEDOROV BACK!”; “FREEDOM ISN’T GIVEN / IT’S TAKEN”; “WE ARE THE POWER, DUMBASS”; “DRAPATYI FOR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF / FEDOROV FOR MoD / A VETERAN INSTEAD OF KIM”
FEDOROV MINISTER OF DEFENCE / MINISTRY OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS TO THE VETERANS
Fedorov gets his job back, I get a treat!
“BRINGING FEDOROV BACK LOOKS GOOD ON YOU”; “BRING FEDOROV BACK!”
N.B. I've included a number of images that are not worth a penny but did find some slogans to be quite creative. The article below from where I took most captions, used many of my photographs and delves deeper into the slogans and general context.