Ukrainian Cabinet Reshuffle: Defense Minister Ousted, New Prime Minister Nominee Announced

The Ukrainian government today announced another high-level personnel change. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has been dismissed, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced the nomination of Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretsky as the new prime minister.

Fedorov stated on social media this evening that serving as defense minister was a great honor. He reflected on several initiatives advanced during his six-month tenure, including cooperation with SpaceX, the aerospace company led by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, to prevent Russia from using the Starlink satellite network to guide drones. He described military reforms as "extremely important but unpopular" and highlighted efforts to support Ukrainian forces in targeting Russian supply lines.

Fedorov acknowledged three unfulfilled goals during his term: failure to complete defense ministry reforms in line with NATO standards, failure to establish a culture of accountability among decision-makers, and failure to fully implement open procurement bidding systems. He said he would continue to support the country, guided by principles of innovation and organizational capability. As of now, Zelenskyy has not publicly explained the reasons for the dismissal.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Fedorov was relieved of his duties on the 15th after meeting with Zelenskyy and Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Citing an unnamed member of parliament, the report stated that during a ruling party internal meeting, Zelenskyy cited strained relations between the defense ministry and military leadership, poor mobilization outcomes, and the deteriorating public image of recruitment offices as reasons for the dismissal. It is also being considered that Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko may succeed Fedorov as defense minister.

The 35-year-old Fedorov became defense minister in January this year, having previously served as Minister of Digital Transformation, where he gained attention for advancing drone development and digitalization of defense systems. Analysts suggest that disagreements over military reform direction and management culture between Fedorov and Syrskyi have emerged, likening the situation to "a young tech prodigy versus a post-Soviet military officer." Combined with entrenched military institutions and corruption issues, these tensions have increasingly surfaced.

Additionally, Zelenskyy today announced the nomination of Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister, succeeding Yulia Svyrydenko. According to Ukrainian media UNN, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's top priority is addressing potential energy challenges during the upcoming winter, making Koretsky—given his experience in energy sector management—an appropriate choice.

Koretsky became CEO of Naftogaz in May 2025, responsible for maintaining stable domestic energy supplies amid ongoing Russian airstrikes on energy infrastructure. Prior to this, he served as head of Ukrnafta, a subsidiary of Naftogaz, where he led the company from losses to profitability. His crisis management abilities have been widely recognized.

In recent years, high-level personnel changes in the Ukrainian government have been frequent. Svyrydenko became prime minister in July 2025 but was replaced in less than a year. Former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held positions as both defense and energy minister within the year. High-ranking officials in the energy and justice ministries were dismissed in November last year over a corruption scandal involving approximately $100 million in the energy ministry.