Poll finds 44% expect Fedorov protests to push government to compromise
Protest action in Kyiv, July 17, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Thomas Peter)
44% of respondents believe protests against the dismissal of former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov could push the government toward a compromise, according to a Radio NV poll published on July 18.
Ukrainians who took part in the poll shared their views on the outcome of the protests that took place across the country for two consecutive days following Fedorov's dismissal as defense minister:
44.2% (747 respondents) said the protests would lead to compromises, but Fedorov would not be reinstated.
Ad39.7% (671 respondents) said the current situation would remain unchanged, with Yevhen Khmara serving as acting defense minister and Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi remaining commander-in-chief.
16.1% (273 respondents) said the protests would achieve their goal, with Fedorov reinstated and Syrskyi dismissed.
A total of 1,691 Radio NV listeners participated in the poll on July 18. The results are not representative of Ukraine's population as a whole.
On July 16, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Yevhen Khmara, the former head of the Alpha Special Operations Center of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), would serve as acting defense minister in Serhii Koretskyi's new government.
Zelenskyy also confirmed that Fedorov had been in conflict with Syrskyi. The former defense minister said the commander-in-chief had blocked all of his initiatives and issued ultimatums.
On July 16, hundreds of people gathered in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and other cities for the so-called "cardboard protests," opposing Fedorov's dismissal, describing him as one of Ukraine's most effective ministers, and calling for Syrskyi's removal.
On July 17, protesters again took to the streets in Kyiv, Lutsk, Mykolaiv and other regional capitals, demanding Fedorov's reinstatement and the replacement of the commander-in-chief. Organizers have announced another round of demonstrations for July 18.
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