Who leads the protests in Kyiv? 23-year-old girls!

Who leads the protests in Kyiv? 23-year-old girls!

Olena Kozii

Olena Kozii on protests from London, The Frontmind (as a source)

I found a post by Anastasiia Bezpalko, a young Ukrainian who, together with her female friends, is coordinating the current “cardboard protest” in Kyiv

On July 22, defiant demonstrations broke out in Ukraine. Citizens took to the streets to defend the independence of anti-corruption institutions — after both the President and the Rada backed decisions that weakened them.

Most protesters are young, still students who want to be seen and heard by the government. Back in 2019, when Zelenskyy was elected, they couldn’t vote yet. 

Now they are patriotic, politically literate, pro-European, and anti-imperialist. They possess a strong instinct for justice and a clear determination to fight corruption. Their tone is confrontational, but not hostile. 

Meet Anastasiia Bezpalko, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman who, together with her female friends, is running the democratic show in Kyiv.

There has been a lot of buzz about our generation suddenly becoming visible, so I’d like to comment. We weren’t on Maidan. Back then, we were still in school. Some of us may have joined rallies for Sternenko, against Shkarlet, or others. But for many, this is the first protest

And what a protest it is!

This young generation doesn’t throw Molotov cocktails. They draw penises on cardboard signs and wave them at the Ukrainian government.

Looks like they’re holding more cards than Zelenskyy. 

Will he listen?

The protest language is very much street culture talk: raw, brutal, provocative. Many signs are written in slang, sometimes with swearing, speaking to the President not as a distant figure, but like a neighbour next door. 

Democracy in action!

These demonstrations serve as a reminder of a cold shower. Delivered in a sarcastic tone for the Ukrainian government: “Buddies, don’t push the horses! Step back, and back to the ground”. 

It’s not disrespect, as the West might think. This is how politics sounds in a free Ukraine. Our leadership are equals, not idols. Respect must be earned and proved daily, especially for the younger generation. They’re the ones running the protests.

The initiator of the participants’ group chat on Telegram is Bezpalko’s peer, Zinaida Averina, 23.There are now 2,320 people in it. The chat is full of memes, jokes, and even a dating section. 

What’s sexier than a strong civic position? We gotta fix the demographic crisis!

Another peer and the only person who submitted a formal request to the Kyiv City Administration for July 23 is Sofia, 23, also known as Wisdom. A symbolic nickname, indeed. There was no such request for July 22. Thanks to Sofia’s initiative, coordination was established with medics, the Red Cross, the dialogue police, and law enforcement to ensure public order.

Together with Zina, Sofia is handling logistics. The team brought snacks and water to the protest yesterday and set up an info point. They don’t agree with all of the posters, but they can’t deny the creativity.

Bezpalko reported that none of the organisations or opinion leaders who had called for a protest did the work. She was surprised, and found it strange. 

Also, there’s a lack of leadership from the anti-corruption NGOs at the protest to help young people with their expertise.

But the girls stepped up. 

So the youth are doing it! The girls showed leadership during a crisis and took on a huge responsibility. This protest is led by 23-year-olds! Proud of the girls! 

Young people are out for different reasons, not all about anti-corruption. Many issues have been piling up for a while. Frustration has been growing. Draft law #12414, which doesn’t sit right with Ukrainians, was just the last straw. Still, most understand the purpose of the protest, and stay focused.

Coordinators stated that they are ready to protest for as long as it takes. Adrenaline, youthful maximalism, and a strong sense of justice all play a role. Participants are jointly agreeing on a list of demands — specific and constructive ones.

A website with the demands is ready to launch, and speakers will voice them. Now it’s not just about anti-corruption institutions, but also the Bureau of Economic Security and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine. In short, the justice system as a whole.

It’s an explosive mix. If I were the authorities, I’d act very cautiously — because this fire will be hard to put out. However, we don’t want to overthrow the government. That’s not the goal, and not the time

Participants are keeping others from provocations, explaining that it must stay peaceful — no damage, no calls to overthrow the government. Yesterday, together with the police, the girls went around and convinced a few to get down from a market stall and a balcony. They listened and calmly climbed down.

23-year-old coordinators worry about protest security, frontline impact, and international support. Still, people came out despite warnings from the Security Service (SBU) and Military Intelligence, led by Budanov.

But protests have never been easy. So we should simply be proud of these young people

Ukrainians know Russia is watching — and can use it. But they also believe silence is riskier for democracy. Fighting corruption is a sacred symbol in Ukraine.

Russian propaganda wasted no time. It jumped on the moment and amplified the fears. Sadly, many Western and even some Ukrainian voices panicked and shared hostile disinformation without fact-checking. The tones were overheated.

For example, Owen Matthews, half-Russian by ethnicity, echoed Russia’s favourite state TV propagandist, Skabeeva — not reality.

Media and opinion leaders rushed to call a peaceful democratic protest led by youths “Maidan again.” They called wartime leader Zelenskyy a dictator and spoke of “betrayal” and “the death of democracy,” pushing the agenda that there’s no point in supporting Ukraine anymore. Those irresponsible, fact-free statements only promote violence on the streets and serve Russia’s interests.

No drama. No riots. Just Ukraine being Ukraine. 

In parallel, students drew sarcastic or humorous posters about their “President-next-door.” And the government listened to its nation. Zelenskyy quickly made a statement that the Rada will revise and revote on draft Law #12414. Streets are now waiting for the next action. In fact, no chaos there.

The President’s power is not under threat. Ukrainians don’t see Volodymyr Oleksandrovych as a dictator. Not yet. But they warned him with a grin: “Vova, just in case — don’t get too comfy.”

Just a democratic reflex. A reminder: Ukraine is not Russia. It’s full of free spirits.

Maidan’s children grew up. They are the kids of democracy — sons and daughters of those who once stood on Maidan. A decade later, they’ve risen in their own style. These 23-year-olds saw the Revolution of Dignity through children’s eyes. It marked them forever. 

The world watches the frontline and the headlines. But these young people are worth watching too. Their protest is civilised and beautiful. They are beautiful. They’re even well-dressed. For many, it’s their first protest and a celebration of democracy. 

They wear their best dresses and pearl necklaces for it.

Olena Kozii, Ukrainian journalist from London

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