KYIV — In Ukraine, cardboard signs equal power — as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy found out in recent days.
The Gen Z-led protests that forced Zelenskyy to U-turn on a controversial bill, which would have seen the country’s top independent anti-corruption bodies be brought under political control, were marked by creative and provocative placards in cities around Ukraine.
More than 69 percent of Ukrainians supported the protests, according to the latest findings by Gradus Research Company, based on a survey of 1,000 respondents conducted from July 25–26. The creative wartime protest signs — quoting songs, pop culture references and literature, and occasionally using explicit language — by groups of people aged mainly between 15 and 23 lifted the exhausted population and even boosted morale at the front lines.
“I’ve been complaining for a long time that the motivation to fight has disappeared somewhere. But I want to thank Mr. President, if it weren’t for the shit that these idiots decided to arrange, I wouldn’t have seen what kind of great children have grown up in Ukraine. They’re worth fighting for. They’ve raised motivation,” said Ukrainian soldier Oleksii Tsymbaliuk.
Ukraine has a rich protest culture. Taking to the streets to hold politicians accountable has become a key feature of its democracy since the 1990 Revolution on Granite that preceded independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the 2004 Orange Revolution, and the 2014 Maidan Revolution.
Now, Ukraine has its so-called cardboard revolution, driven by youth who grew up in a country already on the path to EU integration, while immersed in TikTok, Ukrainian and Western pop culture and literature. POLITICO documented some of the most creative (and profane) signs that dominated the last week of protests that ultimately cowed Zelenskyy.
“This is indeed a very creative and well-read protest. It is within the tradition of Ukrainian revolutions. For example, the Orange Revolution of 2004 was also very theatrical in itself, but the protesters there were playing with color, not quotes,” said Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, director general of the National Cultural, Art and Museum Complex “Mystetskyi Arsenal.”
Before every rally in the current protest wave, young protesters came up with new messages to send to the government. “From a quote of Ukrainian modern poet Serhii Zhadan, ‘Why the fuck do I need a system that works against me?’ to the words of Vasyl Stus, Ukrainian decedent poet from the 1960s, who once said ‘Those who are against dictatorship, rise!’” Ostrovska-Liuta added.
“This protest has more self-confidence and self-expression, as well as an aspect of virality. Someone’s creative cardboard sign gets recreated multiple times,” Ostrovska-Liuta said.
Both Kyiv protest coordinators — 23-year-olds Zinaida Averina and Anastasia Bezpalko — wore T-shirts reading “People with cardboards are the source of power” as they spoke to POLITICO the day before Zelenskyy rapidly signed a bill restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
After the first rally, protesters created Telegram groups to coordinate roles: who would liaise with police and medics? Who would bring markers, cardboard, water and raincoats?
Averina, Bezpalko and a third coordinator, Sofia Pivtorak, are graduates of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and the Ukrainian Academy of Leadership. “I think our generation is very reactive and free in their actions. We want to show we also have a voice to say it’s not OK to cancel the independence of NABU and SAP,” Pivtorak said.
“This was passed down to us by generations. In my family, we talked about past revolutions, so for me it was natural to join this protest,” she added.
As for the cardboard signs and explicit language, “Those are mostly coming from Ukrainian pop culture. And it was passed to us by millennials,” Averina said. “Many cardboards are quotes from movies and songs, so it’s sort of a cultural thing. Like from the songs of (Ukrainian poet and writer) Serhii Zhadan and (music band) Kurgan and Agregat,” she added.
Memes and jokes helped protesters cope with social media backlash and attempts by some foreign politicians — like Republican U.S. congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene — to use the protests to undermine Zelenskyy.
“In no way do we stand for overthrowing the government, we stand for anti-corruption reform and for protection of what the EuroMaidan revolution has fought for,” Averina said.
After parliament restored the independence of anti-corruption bodies, protesters now plan to continue rallying — this time demanding additional reforms needed for Ukraine’s EU integration and to secure the foreign aid essential to its war effort.
“Our other focus is to push the government to appoint the head of the Bureau of Economic Security,” Averina said. “If they do, we will consider this a victory of active youth and society.”
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