The protests of July 2025 echo the spirit of 2014: a new generation refuses to surrender their future to corruption
In the summer rain of July 2025, across seventeen Ukrainian cities, thousands gathered with homemade signs and unwavering resolve. Their message was clear: «Нах*я мені система, що працює проти мене» – “Why do I need a system that works against me?” This raw expression of frustration captures the essence of a generation that refuses to accept the erosion of democratic institutions, even in wartime.
The protests against Law №12414, which effectively strips independence from Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), represent more than opposition to a single piece of legislation. They embody the enduring spirit of Ukrainian civil society, the same spirit that drove the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.
A Generation That Won’t Be Silenced
Ввечері 23 липня людей на мітингу зібралося щонайменше вдвічі більше, ніж було напередодні – by the evening of July 23rd, at least twice as many people gathered at protests compared to the previous day. This wasn’t a movement losing steam; it was gaining momentum.
What strikes most powerfully about these protests is their authenticity. Unlike orchestrated political rallies, these demonstrations emerged organically from genuine civic anger. Креатив гасел та висловів українців на акції протесту зашкалював – the creativity of Ukrainian slogans and expressions at the protest was off the charts, reflecting a society that refuses to be cowed into submission.
The signs carried messages both profound and visceral: “Money doesn’t like silence,” “This has happened before,” “12414 circles of Ukrainian hell,” and most tellingly, “I stand for myself and for those at the front.” «Стою за себе і за тих, хто на фронті» This last slogan encapsulates the moral weight these protesters carry. They see themselves as defending not just institutional integrity, but the very values their compatriots are dying for on the battlefield.
The Courage to Dissent in Wartime
Perhaps most remarkable is that these protests occurred during an active war. 23 липня акція тривала у Харкові – protests continued in Kharkiv on July 23rd, a city that has endured relentless Russian bombardment. When people in a war zone risk their safety to defend democratic principles, it speaks to the depth of their convictions.
The protesters understand what many fail to grasp: corruption is not a luxury concern during wartime. It’s an existential threat. Every corrupt official who diverts resources, every compromised institution that fails in its duty, every system that works against the people rather than for them, weakens Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and build a just post-war society.
Echoes of 2014
The parallels to 2014’s Revolution of Dignity are unmistakable. Then, as now, Ukrainians took to the streets when they saw their government betraying European values and democratic principles. The creative protest signs comparing President Zelensky to former president Viktor Yanukovych, coining the term «ЗЕнукович», show that Ukrainians will hold any leader accountable, regardless of their wartime status.
One protester’s sign read simply: «міні Росії тут не буде» – “there will be no mini-Russia here.” This encapsulates the protesters’ understanding that defending Ukraine means defending not just territory, but values. They recognize that becoming an authoritarian state would represent a spiritual victory for Putin, even if Ukraine wins the military war.
The Cost of Speaking Truth
The attempts to silence these voices reveal the stakes involved. Київська друкарня 24Print відмовилася виготовляти плакати для протесту проти скандального закону №12414 – a Kyiv printing house refused to produce protest banners, citing “internal company policy” about “provocative political content.” When businesses fear printing images of elected officials, it signals how fragile democratic space has become.
Yet the protesters persisted. They found other ways to make their voices heard, demonstrating the same resourcefulness and determination that has characterized Ukrainian resistance throughout this war.
Looking Forward
These protests matter not just for what they oppose, but for what they represent. They show that Ukrainian civil society remains vibrant and engaged. They demonstrate that the younger generation, those who came of age after 2014, have internalized democratic values so deeply that they’re willing to defend them even when it’s difficult or dangerous.
The international community, which has invested billions in supporting Ukraine’s democratic development, should take note. These protesters are defending the very institutions and values that Western aid has helped build. Their courage deserves not just moral support, but concrete backing.
As one protester’s sign proclaimed: «Українці виборюють своє право на демократію» – “Ukrainians are fighting for their right to democracy.” This struggle isn’t separate from the war against Russia; it’s an integral part of it. Ukraine’s youth understand that dignity cannot be bought, sold, or surrendered: not to foreign invaders, and not to domestic authoritarianism.
In standing with these protesters, we stand with the Ukraine that fought for European integration in 2014, that has defended democratic values through years of war, and that refuses to accept that survival requires abandoning principles. Their voices, raised in the summer rain of 2025, echo across a continent that once promised “never again” to the erosion of democratic institutions.
The young people in Ukraine’s streets are keeping that promise alive.
Sources
- Ukrainska Pravda (English) – “Protests over law restricting anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine begin in 17 cities – photos”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/07/23/7523122/ - TSN.ua – “Топ плакатів киян на мітингах щодо НАБУ і САП — що вимагають протестувальники (фото)” [Top placards of Kyivans at rallies regarding NABU and SAPO – what protesters demand (photos)]
https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/top-plakativ-kyian-na-mitynhakh-shchodo-nabu-i-sap-shcho-vymahaiut-protestuvalnyky-foto-2875445.html - NV.ua – “«Зенукович», «якого хя». Що писали українці на плакатах на акцію протесту проти закону 12414 — фото” [“Zenukovich”, “what the fck”. What Ukrainians wrote on placards at protest action against law 12414 – photos]
https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/zenukovich-yakogo-h-ya-shcho-pisali-ukrajinci-na-plakatah-na-akciyu-protestu-proti-zakonu-12414-foto-50531907.html - Ukrainska Pravda (Life) – “Протести проти закону №12414: у Києві друкарня відмовилася виготовити плакати для акції” [Protests against law №12414: in Kyiv printing house refused to produce placards for action]
https://life.pravda.com.ua/society/u-kiyevi-drukarnya-vidmovilasya-drukuvati-plakati-na-protest-309387/ - Radio Svoboda (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) – “В Україні завершився другий день протестів проти підписаного Зеленським закону №12414” [Second day of protests against law №12414 signed by Zelensky concludes in Ukraine]
https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-ukrajina-protesty-proty-12414/33482074.html - Suspilne Media – “Київ, Дніпро, Одеса та інші міста протестують проти ухваленого Радою законопроєкту, що нівелює незалежність НАБУ та САП” [Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa and other cities protest against parliament-adopted bill that undermines independence of NABU and SAPO]
https://suspilne.media/1073115-kiiv-dnipro-odesa-ta-insi-mista-protestuut-proti-uhvalenogo-radou-zakonoproektu-so-nivelue-nezaleznist-nabu-ta-sap/ - Suspilne Media (Zhytomyr) – Law 12414 coverage and local protests
https://suspilne.media/amp/zhytomyr/tag/zakon-12414/