Zelenskyy dismisses defense minister in government shakeup

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has been dismissed from his post in a surprise move as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy carries out the fourth major government reshuffle since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Fedorov, seen as a popular figure and advocate of Ukraine’s drone warfare, confirmed his dismissal at a meeting on Wednesday. social media postHe said that “it is a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people.”

Fedorov listed several of his team’s accomplishments during his six-month tenure, including shutting down Starlink systems for Russian forces, isolating occupied Crimea and “an unpopular but extremely important transformation of the military.”

The move led some to call for a peaceful protest in Kiev on Thursday morning and came shortly after Ukraine’s parliament accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko after just a year in office.

Serhiy Koretsky, the current CEO of Ukraine’s state-owned energy company Naftogaz, has nominated Ukrainian parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk as the country’s next prime minister. in question Wednesday.

Stefanchuk said via Facebook that Zelenskyy nominated Koretsky for the role; The Ukrainian President has previously identified preparing for winter and efforts to achieve a ceasefire as urgent government priorities.

Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran who was a leading organizer of nationwide protests last summer. in question On Wednesday, it was said via social media that “it is no longer possible to tolerate what is happening to our government.”

According to one translation, Koziatynskyi said on

Ukraine, which has increased its drone production and capabilities over the four-year war, has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and military assets, targeting high-profile oil refineries in major cities as part of a sustained push to increase the economic cost of the conflict in Russia and weaken Russian forces in southern Ukraine.

Defense experts and strategists have called the drone campaign crucial to helping halt Russia’s military momentum, while also warning that Kiev’s deep strike successes greatly increase the risk of escalation.

Zelenskyy made an announcement that surprised many, especially considering that the country had turned the tide of the war in recent months. announced “Ukraine is changing its political strategy,” he said on Sunday.

The president said that each priority area of ​​foreign policy will be assigned to a specific person “with significant experience, capable of implementing what we agreed on at the level of leaders and the expectations of the Ukrainian people.”