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Ukraine lawmakers to elect government amid defense chief row
Ukraine lawmakers approve Koretskyi as new PM amid protests
Louis Oelofse with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters Published 07/16/2026Published July 16, 2026last updated 07/16/2026last updated July 16, 2026It is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's second Cabinet shakeup in a year. He faces criticism for dismissing reformist Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HCFOWhat 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 shakeup
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Ukraine hits six Russian tankers in Black Sea, Sea of Azov, Kyiv says
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Kyiv
This was a roundup of the key developments in Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, July 16, 2026. This blog is now closed.
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Skip next section Zelenskyy appoints Khmara acting defense minister07/16/2026July 16, 2026Zelenskyy appoints Khmara acting defense minister
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Yevhenii Khmara, the acting head of Ukraine's security service (SBU), as acting defense minister and asked parliament to approve him in the position.
In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the SBU Security Service had distinguished itself in staging long-range strikes on Russia and that this would be an asset in performing the duties of defense minister.
"I have assigned Yevhenii Khmara to perform the duties of minister, continue reforming the defense sector, and ensure Ukraine achieves all the results we have spoken about," Zelenskyy wrote.
The Ukrainian president added that he would ask parliament to approve his selection.
Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainians took to the streets to protest Zelenskyy's ouster of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Ukraine protests erupt over ouster of defense minister
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HGEFSkip next section Ukraine receives 501 more war dead bodies from Russia07/16/2026July 16, 2026Ukraine receives 501 more war dead bodies from Russia
Ukraine and Russia have carried out another exchange of bodies of fallen soldiers.
Ukraine says it has received the bodies of 501 troops, while Russian media report that Moscow recovered the remains of 31 of its soldiers.
Since the start of 2025, Ukraine says it has brought back nearly 21000 bodies, compared with just over 600 returned to Russia.
The exchange comes as the war, now in its fourth year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues with both sides keeping official casualty figures secret.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HG0GSkip next section UK pledges €300 million to help Ukraine buy 16 Gripen fighter jets07/16/2026July 16, 2026UK pledges €300 million to help Ukraine buy 16 Gripen fighter jets
The United Kingdom will provide €300 million ($345 million) to help Ukraine acquire 16 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
He made the announcement during his final trip to Kyiv before leaving office.
The funding follows a deal Ukraine signed last month with manufacturer Saab to purchase the aircraft in an agreement worth about $2.5 billion.
When asked whether he was disappointed that he would not see an end to the conflict before leaving No. 10, Starmer told reporters, "This isn't about me, it's about a country, Ukraine, that has faced an aggressor for now in the fifth year."
"Britain has always been, and remains, with Ukraine, and we value this immensely," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine awarded Starmer its "Order of Freedom" honor.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham appears set to become the UK's fifth prime minister since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2025.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HFafSkip next section Zelenskyy calls for unity after defense minister ouster07/16/2026July 16, 2026Zelenskyy calls for unity after defense minister ouster
Dmytro Hubenko EditorPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for "unity" within Ukraine's military leadership as he faced criticism over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had clashed with the head of the armed forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Rare protests broke out in Ukraine after Fedorov's removal, as a long-running dispute between the reform-minded minister and the commander-in-chief spilled into the open.
"A president in wartime should not have to choose in such a situation, honestly," the AFP news agency reported Zelenskyy as saying. "I would very much like unity."
In a scathing attack on the military chief, Fedorov accused Syrskyi of blocking ministry initiatives and refusing to address problems directly.
"Instead of working out how to defeat Russia, he has figured out how to split the country," Fedorov said.
Analysts said Zelenskyy appeared to side with his trusted military commander over the defense minister at a critical stage of the war.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HFBpSkip next section Russia, Ukraine target shipping lanes07/16/2026July 16, 2026Russia, Ukraine target shipping lanes
Russia and Ukraine are intensifying attacks on shipping in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, a key corridor for global grain exports, pushing wheat prices higher.
Ukraine says it has struck at least 11 Russian vessels, while Moscow reports hitting a Ukrainian boat and maritime targets near the Odesa region.
Kyiv's drone forces say recent strikes targeted oil tankers, cargo ships, and tugboats, bringing the number of vessels hit this month to nearly 150.
Ukraine is expanding its campaign from the Sea of Azov into the Black Sea, aiming to disrupt Russian military logistics and isolate Crimea.
Russia, meanwhile, is stepping up strikes on Ukrainian ports and infrastructure in Odesa, which are critical to the country's wartime economy.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HDK5Skip next section Turkey renews offer to host Ukraine-Russia talks07/16/2026July 16, 2026Turkey renews offer to host Ukraine-Russia talks
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has made a renewed offer to host talks between Ukraine and Russia during a visit to Kyiv.
"There is simply no explanation for a war in Europe to continue for five years in the 21st century. We need peace more than ever," Fidan said.
Turkey has hosted multiple rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia, both at the outset of the war and again in 2025.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that President Volodymyr Zelensky would be ready to meet Putin in Turkey.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov separately said, "There are no immediate prospects for resuming the negotiation process."
https://p.dw.com/p/5HDChSkip next section Starmer vows UK's 'cast-iron' support for Ukraine on final Kyiv visit07/16/2026July 16, 2026Starmer vows UK's 'cast-iron' support for Ukraine on final Kyiv visit
Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is making his final trip to Ukraine, vowing that the UK's "cast-iron support for Ukraine will always endure."
Starmer held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
The two leaders also laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy thanked the "United Kingdom for their unwavering respect for our warriors."
Starmer announced his resignation on June 22 and will be replaced by Andy Burnham.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HD6ZSkip next section IN DEPTH: Why is Zelenskyy reshuffling Ukraine's government?07/16/2026July 16, 2026IN DEPTH: Why is Zelenskyy reshuffling Ukraine's government?
Lilia RzheutskaUkraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has resigned, prompting a Cabinet reshuffle led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. What comes next?
Find out more about what's behind Zelenskyy's latest government rejig in this report.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HCnCSkip next section Protests in Kyiv over exclusion of popular defense minister from new government07/16/2026July 16, 2026Protests in Kyiv over exclusion of popular defense minister from new government
In Kyiv, hundreds of protesters rallied as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved to dismiss his defense minister as part of a government reshuffle.
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed on X late Wednesday that his tenure was ending after only six months.
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.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HCO4Skip next section Zelenskyy's pick, Koretskyi, approved as Ukraine's prime minister07/16/2026July 16, 2026Zelenskyy'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.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HCSDSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/16/2026July 16, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Louis Oelofse | Karl Sexton EditorUkraine'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.
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