Ukraine lawmakers approve Koretsky as new PM amid protests

President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Yevheny Khmara as acting defense minister and asked parliament to approve him to the post.

In a post on Telegram, Zelensky said the SBU security service has distinguished itself in carrying out long-range strikes on Russia and will be an asset in carrying out the duties of the defense minister.

“I have appointed Yevheny Khmara to take over the duties of the minister, continue defense sector reforms, and ensure that Ukraine achieves all the results we have talked about,” Zelensky wrote.

The Ukrainian President said he would ask Parliament to approve his selection.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainians took to the streets to protest Zelensky’s removal of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Ukraine and Russia have exchanged bodies of martyred soldiers.

Ukraine says it has found the bodies of 501 soldiers, while Russian media report that Moscow has recovered the remains of 31 of its soldiers.

Since the beginning of 2025, Ukraine says it has brought back about 21,000 bodies, while just over 600 bodies have been returned to Russia.

The exchange comes as the war is in its fourth year since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, with both sides keeping official casualty figures secret.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom would provide €300 million ($345 million) to help Ukraine acquire 16 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets.

He made the announcement during his last visit to Kyiv before leaving office.

The funding comes after Ukraine signed a nearly $2.5 billion deal with manufacturer Saab to buy the aircraft last month.

Asked if he was disappointed that he would not see an end to the conflict before leaving No. 10, Starmer told reporters, “It’s not about me, it’s about a country, Ukraine, which has faced an offensive for the fifth year in a row.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Britain has always been and will be with Ukraine, and we value this very much.”

Ukraine awarded Starmer its “Order of Freedom”.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham looks set to become Britain’s fifth Prime Minister after Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2025.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called for “unity” within Ukraine’s military leadership as he faced criticism over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who clashed with armed forces chief Oleksandr Syrsky.

Fedorov’s ouster sparked rare protests in Ukraine as a long-running dispute between the reformist minister and the commander-in-chief came out into the open.

“To be honest, a president should not make an election in such a situation during a time of war,” Zelensky was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. “I would really like unity.”

In a sharp attack on the military chief, Fedorov accused Sirsky of blocking ministry initiatives and refusing to address the problems directly.

“Instead of working out how to defeat Russia, they’ve figured out how to divide the country,” Fedorov said.

Analysts said Zelensky appeared to side with his military commander rather than the defense minister at a critical stage of the war.

Russia and Ukraine are stepping up attacks on shipping in the Black Sea and Sea of ​​Azov, a key corridor for global grain exports, sending wheat prices rising.

Ukraine says it has attacked at least 11 Russian ships, while Moscow reports hitting a Ukrainian boat and maritime targets near the Odessa area.

Kiev’s drone forces say the latest attacks targeted oil tankers, cargo ships and tugboats, bringing the number of ships hit this month to about 150.

Ukraine is expanding its campaign from the Sea of ​​Azov to the Black Sea, aiming to disrupt Russian military logistics and isolate Crimea.

Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up attacks on Ukrainian ports and infrastructure in Odessa, which are vital to the country’s wartime economy.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has made a fresh offer to host talks between Ukraine and Russia during a visit to Kiev.

Fidan said, “There is no explanation for five years of war in Europe in the 21st century. We need peace more than ever.”

Turkey has hosted several rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia on ending the war and again in 2025.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said President Volodymyr Zelensky would be willing to meet Putin in Türkiye.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said separately, “There is no immediate prospect of resuming the negotiation process.”

Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is making his final visit to Ukraine, vowing that the UK’s “cast iron support for Ukraine will always remain.”

Starmer held talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

The two leaders also laid floral tributes at the Memorial Wall of Martyrs of Ukraine.

Zelensky thanked “the United Kingdom for its unwavering respect for our warriors.”

Starmer announced his resignation on 22 June and was replaced by Andy Burnham.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko has resigned, following a cabinet reshuffle led by President Volodymyr Zelensky. what comes next?

Learn more about what’s behind Zelensky’s latest government reshuffle in this report.

In Kiev, hundreds of protesters rallied after President Volodymyr Zelensky moved to fire his defense minister as part of a government reshuffle.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed late Wednesday that his term was ending after just six months.

Listen credited with cutting Bureaucracy, boosting drone warfare and pursuing data-driven Strategy to destroy the Russian army.

Fedorov previously led Ukraine’s digital transformation efforts and gained public support for modernizing government services and advancing battlefield technology.

Zelensky has not formally confirmed his dismissal.

Ukrainian lawmakers said on Wednesday that the current interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, is set to replace Fedorov.

Ukrainian lawmakers voted on Thursday to appoint President Volodymyr Zelensky’s nominee, Sergiy Koretsky, chairman of state energy company Naftogaz, as prime minister.

Koretsky replaces Yulia Sviridenko, who resigned this week because Zelensky wanted to make “necessary changes to the Ukrainian government.”

Zelensky cited the Naftogaz chief’s experience in the energy sector and said Koretsky was the most suitable candidate for the government’s priority of preparing Ukraine for another difficult winter.

Ukraine’s parliament will vote on a new wartime government, the second such change in a year under President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The reshuffle includes the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sparking protests on the streets of Kiev this morning.

Recent opinion polls show that Ukrainians still trust Zelensky’s wartime leadership, but the protests show that support has its limits.

Last July, Zelensky responded to mass protests against stripping anti-corruption agencies of their independence by turning the tables, and he may take similar action this time as protests grow.

In this blog, we will take a closer look at these developments.