Ukraine war latest: Despite change in military leadership, protesters continue calls to reinstate former Defense Minister Fedorov
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Key developments on July 22:
- Ukraine protests to continue despite Syrskyi's firing as organizers demand Fedorov's return
- Warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries burn as Ukraine strikes Krasnodar, Stavropol regions
- 13 more Russian shadow fleet vessels struck in Azov Sea and Black Sea over last 2 days, Ukraine says
- Trump's NATO envoy arrives in Kyiv for talks on Patriot missiles, drone deal
Ukrainians will gather for another protest in Kyiv on July 24 to demand the return of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, organizers announced on July 21.
The decision comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in an apparent attempt to defuse public anger, fulfilling one of the protesters' key demands.
Zelensky appointed Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi, a widely respected military leader, to replace Syrskyi.
Organizers say the protest will continue until Fedorov is reinstated as defense minister.
"Well, guys, get ready for Friday — we still gotta bring back Fedorov," protest organizer and veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi wrote on X.
He later told the Kyiv Independent that if their demand is not met, the protesters will announce what they describe as an "indefinite protest."
Warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries burn as Ukraine strikes Krasnodar, Stavropol regions
Ukrainian forces carried out strikes on Russia's Krasnodar and Stavropol regions, targeting logistics facilities that supply the Russian military with drone components and navigation equipment, as well as an oil depot overnight on July 22, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
The logistics sites struck by Ukraine included warehouses operated by Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, Russian and Ukrainian monitoring channels reported on July 22.
A truck parking lot and residential buildings were struck in addition to the Wildberries facility in the Russian city of Krasnodar, Telegram channel Supernova Plus reported.
Krasnodar Mayor Yevgeny Naumov confirmed that fire erupted at a logistics warehouse after being hit by a Ukrainian drone strike, without naming the facility. He said three people were injured in the attack.
Another logistics center belonging to Wildberries was also struck in Nevinnomyssk in Stavropol Krai, leaving a massive fire behind, Telegram channel Exilenova Plus reported.
Stavropol Krai Governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed a warehouse in Nevinnomyssk was struck by Ukrainian drones, injuring five people.
"Due to a drone attack on the outskirts of Nevinnomyssk, a warehouse complex has caught fire. Firefighters and other emergency services are on the scene," he said.
In addition to the logistics centers and an oil facility, the location of which thepresident did not disclose, Ukraine also struck a tanker and four dry cargo vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet in the Black and Azov seas, Zelensky's statement read.
13 more Russian shadow fleet vessels struck in Azov Sea and Black Sea over last 2 days, Ukraine says
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit another 13 Russian shadow fleet vessels in the Azov Sea and the Black Sea over the last two days, Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi, known as "Madyar," said on July 22.
The vessels struck on July 21-22 included 10 dry cargo ships, two tugboats, and a tanker, according to Brovdi. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the Ukrainian claim.
"(Russia's) shadow fleet vessels were warned by fire over a 48-hour period on July 21–22 that it was inadvisable to navigate the waters of the Azov and Black Seas in the interests of the aggressor country," Brovdi said in his Telegram post.
The reported attack comes as Ukraine scales up its long-range drone strikes across Russian-occupied territories and deep inside Russia, as well as on the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, in recent weeks. Throughout July, Brovdi has reported dozens of Russian shadow fleet vessels being struck in the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, as part of an effort to target the logistics in and out of occupied Crimea.
Trump's NATO envoy arrives in Kyiv for talks on Patriot missiles, drone deal
The U.S. envoy to NATO, Matt Whitaker, has arrived in Kyiv to discuss Patriot missile deliveries and the upcoming U.S.-Ukraine drone deal, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on July 22.
"We had a good talk — first and foremost on how to protect Ukrainian skies with more Patriot interceptor supplies through PURL," Zelensky said, referring to the NATO initiative through which allies buy U.S. military hardware for Ukraine.
Ukraine has been grappling with shortages of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, essential for countering Russian ballistic missiles, just as Moscow escalates its aerial campaign.
Whitaker is visiting Kyiv alongside U.S. General Curtis Buzzard, head of NATO's Ukraine mission, as the Trump administration signals a more supportive approach to Ukraine after months of uncertainty.
Zelensky noted that his discussion with Whitaker built upon an agreement made with the U.S. president in Turkey on Patriot licenses, but also focused on the drone deal, "which our teams are now working through."
