KYIV — A corruption investigation was behind another government reshuffle in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday announcing changes to his administration.
Looming embezzlement charges against Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Olga Stefanishyna appear to have sped up a decision to shake up the government just a year after the last regrouping.
“Stefanishyna has to come back to Ukraine, and we need a strong ambassador in America; that’s why changes started now,” a senior Ukrainian official, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive political issues, told POLITICO.
“Olga has to deal with the anti-corruption watchdogs’ allegations, even though they are not totally fair against her, and the case overall is stupid,” added the official, who has direct knowledge of the moves.
Stefanishyna has yet to be officially charged.
The ambassador featured in several corruption probes instigated in 2019 and 2025 by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The investigations concern a decade-old 2.5 million hryvnia (€49,000) embezzlement case at the justice ministry, the illegal acquisition of Ukrainian state property by Stefanishyna’s ex-husband, and a lavish apartment in central Kyiv registered to her parents that Stefanishyna did not declare until journalists discovered it. The ambassador has denied any wrongdoing.
Stefanishyna, who started her term at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington last September, hasn’t officially submitted her resignation, and said her upcoming exit has nothing to do with the bureau’s investigation.
“I am contributing to the establishment of the truth as much as possible, and I have no reservations about the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau in investigating any information that has come to their disposal,” Stefanishyna told POLITICO on Monday, adding she will provide more details in the coming days.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is poised to succeed Stefanishyna, Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak revealed in a video blog concerning Zelenskyy’s latest reshuffle.
Svyrydenko in 2025 helped to turn a critical minerals deal with the U.S. that was initially unfavorable to Ukraine into an agreement beneficial to both sides. She also has good relations with the current U.S. administration, said Zheleznyak, a prominent critic of Zelenskyy.
Svyrydenko did not confirm that talks were underway regarding a new post, but said she was “ready to continue serving Ukraine to carry out tasks aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s positions, protecting national interests, and bringing about a just peace.”
Yet another reshuffle
The impending government reshuffle has been in the works for months, according to the Ukrainian official, and Stefanishyna’s corruption probe merely provided an impetus to bring it forward now.
“We still don’t have two ministers — [for the posts of] justice and digitalization. We have [also] been planning to change the ministers of education, infrastructure, and veterans’ affairs for a long time,” the official said.
Changes within the foreign policy and law enforcement departments are also expected, while it is unclear whether Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov will remain in his post.
“The fastest way to a reshuffle is to initiate the resignation of the prime minister, as this means the automatic resignation of the entire cabinet. That means less voting. And the president will decide on the new ministers with the new PM and parliamentarians,” the Ukrainian official explained.
Ukrainian MPs have been voicing dissatisfaction with Svyrydenko’s government for some time, Zheleznyak said.
Serhii Koretskyi, the CEO of state energy companies Naftogaz and Ukrnafta, was seen with Zelenskyy at the July 7-8 NATO summit in Ankara and is rumored to be in the running to replace Svyrydenko as prime minister, Zheleznyak and the official told POLITICO.
Zelenskyy has not commented on who will be named prime minister.
“Ukraine faces challenges with preparations for winter, Russia’s ongoing strikes on gas [infrastructure] and the management of frontline regions … that’s why Koretskyi will most likely become the new prime minister,” the Ukrainian official said.