Government Reshuffle in Kyiv: Ukrainian Parliament Confirms New Government Under Prime Minister Korezkyj

The actual trigger for the protests is the dismissal of Defense Minister Mychajlo Fedorov. The 35-year-old had only been appointed Defense Minister in January 2026 and was considered a shooting star in the Ukrainian cabinet. At 35, Fedorov was the youngest Defense Minister Ukraine had ever had when he was appointed. The International Kyiv Institute of Sociology ranked him among the three most popular politicians in the country last month.

Before his move to the Defense Ministry, Fedorov had headed the Digital Ministry and was responsible for the state mobile application "Dija," in which Ukrainians can digitally store documents such as passports, driver's licenses, and vehicle registration. After just a few weeks in office, the 35-year-old delivered his first major coup: he convinced American entrepreneur Elon Musk to block Russian users' access to the satellite-based Starlink internet.

"Fedorow ist ein kluger Politiker, der die Digitalisierung des Landes vorangetrieben und nötige Reformen im Verteidigungsministerium geplant hat", said Oleksij, a commander of the National Guard, whose real name is different, to the Tagesspiegel. "Seit er Minister ist, hat sich in der Armee vieles verbessert."

Conflict with the Military Leadership

Specifically, Fedorov claimed in his own words to have launched "erste Ausschreibungen für Artillerie und Hunderttausende Drohnen", which "was dem Staatshaushalt Milliarden Dollar sparte". He was regarded as an advocate of more transparent procurement in the defense sector and as an opponent of the corruption widespread in the state apparatus.

In fact, according to Zelensky's explanation to members of his party, the decision was based on disagreements between the minister and the commander-in-chief: "Die beiden leben in unterschiedlichen Welten. Sie hören einander nicht mehr zu." This is what Zelensky is said to have told his deputies, according to a source at the newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda."

This difference eventually culminated in an "offenen Konflikt" with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyj. Syrskyj is regarded in the military as a man of the "alten Schule," socialized in the Soviet Union, someone who clings to inefficient structures because that is how he once learned it.

"Wir können diese Reform nicht ohne aktive Beteiligung des Generalstabs durchziehen, der sie aber sabotiert", Fedorov complained. In his farewell message, he listed three points he had failed to achieve: "Ich hätte entschlossener Mitarbeiter entlassen müssen, die Veränderungen verhindern." At the same time, Fedorov declared that he had pushed for the replacement of Syrskyj and Chief of the General Staff Andrij Hnatov.

Accusation of Political Motivation

When announcing the move, Zelensky cited only "neue Herausforderungen und neue Aufgaben". Critics accuse him of using this justification as a pretext. "Er hat sich als erster Verteidigungsminister überhaupt getraut, das politisch heikle Thema anzugehen. Man hätte an dem Entwurf weiterarbeiten können", said Kravtšenko.

Tensions in society are noticeably increasing: Just a week earlier, 200 people had attacked a recruitment command in Lviv. In the capital, with its roughly three million inhabitants, observers estimated several hundred people, peaking at around 2,000.

Protests on the Streets of Kyiv

Demonstrators in Kyiv chanted slogans such as "Schande" and "Bring Fedorow zurück" in front of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office. One demonstrator's sign read: "Tauscht Gefangene aus und nicht Mychailo Fedorow." Hundreds of protesters shouted "Mychailo, komm zurück", as can be seen in videos from the scene.

"Fedorow, Fedorow, Fedorow", demonstrators chanted within sight of the Presidential Office in Kyiv. Fedorov also has fans in the military: a soldier from an air defense unit in Sumy with the call sign "Buhor" told the Tagesspiegel that he considered the dismissal a mistake.

"Präsident Selenskyj musste sich zwischen den beiden entscheiden und hat mit Syrskyj Loyalität vor Effizienz gewählt", said Kravtšenko. "Selenskyj hat seine eigenen Interessen vor die des Staates gestellt", Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandra Honcharenko told the Tagesspiegel. A staff member of the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "Selenskyj hat einen potenziellen Herausforderer bekämpft."

Reactions from Politics and Academia

Ukrainian journalist Sergiy Sydorenko, who co-founded the pro-European online outlet European Pravda, compared Fedorov's dismissal with Zelensky's 2025 attempt to strip Ukraine's anti-corruption agency of its powers. "Die Aktion damals sowie die Entlassung Fedorows würden darauf abzielen, die ‚eigene politische Zukunft' des Präsidenten abzusichern", Sydorenko was quoted by the Kyiv Independent.

The change at the top of the Defense Ministry would cause "noch mehr Chaos," said Ukrainian political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko to the online newspaper Kyiv Independent. The departure could also slow important reforms in the military: "Man hätte zulassen sollen, dass er seine angekündigten Reformen zu Ende bringen kann", said Fesenko. "Dass mit dem Regierungsumbau nun wichtige Reformen und die Vorbereitungen auf den nächsten Winter stocken, hält Kravtšenko für ‚unseriös und unfair gegenüber den Ministern selbst und vor allem der Bevölkerung'.

"Es war eine große Ehre, dem ukrainischen Volk auf dem Posten des Verteidigungsministers zu dienen", Fedorov wrote in a farewell post on Telegram. "Wir haben einander nie hängen lassen," he said. Fedorov had led Zelensky's media campaign in his 2019 election bid and subsequently took over the newly created Digital Ministry.

Outlook: What Awaits the New Government

Among those reportedly under consideration as a successor is Jewhenij Chmara, previously head of the state energy giant Naftogaz, whom according to Zelensky is to "auf den nächsten harten Winter vorbereiten". Another newcomer is Ihor Klymenko, who previously served as acting head of the SBU intelligence service and before that as head of the SBU anti-terrorism center and the special unit "Alpha."

Ukraine is in the process of changing its "politische Strategie," Zelensky wrote on the platform X last week. "2026 und 2027 soll und muss das besser werden", according to the stated Ukrainian goal. For the coming months, the question remains whether the new government will be able to continue reforms in the defense sector or whether the break with Fedorov will lead the country into a phase of additional political uncertainty.