Ukraine lawmakers to elect new government amid defence chief row

Ukraine lawmakers approves Koretskyi as new PM amid protests July 16, 2026What you need to know - Ukraine appoints Naftogaz chief Koretskyi as prime minister - Ukrainians protest ousting of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a government shake-up - Ukraine hits six Russian tankers in Black Sea, Sea of Azov, Kyiv says - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Kyiv The following are some of the key developments in Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, July 16, 2026. Protests in Kyiv over exclusion of popular defense minister in new government In Kyiv, hundreds of protesters rallied as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved to dismiss his defense minister amid a government reshuffle. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed on X late on Wednesday that his tenure was ending after only six months in the role. He has been credited with cutting bureaucracy, boosting drone warfare and pursuing a data-driven strategy to exhaust Russian forces. Fedorov previously led Ukraine's digital transformation efforts and gained public support for modernizing government services and advancing battlefield technology. Zelenskyy has not formally confirmed the dismissal. The current interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, is set to replace Fedorov, Ukrainian lawmakers said on Wednesday. Zelenskyy's pick Koretskyi approved as Ukraine's prime minister Ukraine's lawmakers voted Thursday to appoint President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's nominee, Sergii Koretskyi, the chair of state energy company Naftogaz, as prime minister. Koretskyi replaces Yulia Svyrydenko, who resigned this week as Zelenskyy seeks to make "necessary changes to the Ukrainian government." Zelenskyy said Koretskyi was the most appropriate candidate for the government's priority of preparing Ukraine for another difficult winter, citing the Naftogaz chief's experience in the energy sector. Welcome to our coverage Ukraine's parliament will vote on a new wartime government, the second such overhaul under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a year. The reshuffle includes the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, which has already sparked protests on the streets of Kyiv this morning. Recent opinion polls show Ukrainians still have faith in Zelenskyy's wartime leadership, but the protests suggest that that support has its limits. Last July, Zelenskyy responded to mass demonstrations against his stripping of anti-corruption agencies of their independence by reversing course, and he could take similar action this time should the protests grow. In this blog, we will track these developments closely.