On 16 July, the English-language publication UNITED24 Media temporarily suspended all publishing. The editorial team reported that journalists, editors, producers and the social media team had joined the protests in support of Mykhailo Fedorov, whose reappointment as defence minister in the new government had been called into question.
Briefly about the main points
- UNITED24 Media announced a pause in all publications on 16 July.
- The editorial team joined the peaceful protests in support of Fedorov.
- The demonstrations took place in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine.
- Fedorov’s term of office came to an end with the resignation of the entire government.
- The media reported that there were no plans to reappoint him to the new Cabinet.
The editorial team called on people to meet up at the demonstrations
UNITED24 Media has issued a statement announcing the suspension of all content for the duration of the protests. The publication noted that its staff are taking part in the demonstrations following the removal of Fedorova from his post as Minister of Defence.
«Ukrainians are gathering at peaceful protests in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa and other cities across the country. »See you there,” the editorial team said. The UNITED24 Media page also published a photo of the team outside the President’s Office.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in Kyiv
A protest in support of Fedorov took place, amongst other places, on Franko Square in Kyiv. Hundreds of people gathered there; they held up placards in support of Fedorov and chanted demands for him to remain as defence minister.
Protests were also reported in other cities. The public hiatus in the work of the English-language editorial team, which, in parallel with the protesters’ statements, called on people to attend the rallies, may indicate a significant mobilisation within the community associated with international communications and technological changes in defence.
The resignation of the government and the question of a new appointment
Formally, Fedorov’s term of office came to an end after the Verkhovna Rada approved the Prime Minister’s resignation on 14 July Yulia Sviridenko. This decision led to the resignation of the entire Cabinet.
At the same time, the protests are not only about the government’s collective resignation, but also about the possible non-reappointment of Fedorov. According to sources from *Ukrainska Pravda* within the *Servant of the People* parliamentary group, the president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had no plans to nominate him for the post of Defence Minister in the new Cabinet.
15 July, Fyodorov confirmed as he stepped down from his post, he stated that he would continue his mission to ensure Ukraine’s technological advantage in the war. Among the unfinished tasks, he cited the transformation of the ministry in line with NATO standards, the transition to tender-based procurement procedures, and the establishment of a culture of accountability in management.
