Kiev, July 16 (dpa/GNA) – Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday, confirmed Serhii Koretskyi as the country’s new prime minister, amid rare protests in Kiev over President Volodymyr Zelensky’s dismissal of his defence minister.
Koretskyi, the former head of the state-run energy company Naftogaz, received 289 votes in parliament, well above the necessary 226.
The reshuffle marks the second change of prime minister since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, with Koretskyi replacing the outgoing Julia Svyrydenko. One of Koretskyi’s most important tasks will be to prepare Ukraine for a fifth winter at war with Russia, after strikes on energy infrastructure left millions without heating and water, amid months of freezing temperatures earlier this year.
Zelensky said last week, he was planning a Cabinet reshuffle to strengthen relations with key international partners. The new prime minister’s election was overshadowed by Zelensky’s dismissal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov’s sacking sparked unusual wartime demonstrations in the capital and several other cities on Thursday, with hundreds of principally young protesters taking to the streets.
The 35-year-old was seen as a reformer and opponent of corruption in the state apparatus, and had only taken over the ministry in January.
This is the fourth time the defence minister has been replaced since the Russian invasion in February 2022.”Initiatives were blocked” Fedorov on Thursday confirmed a conflict between him and the army leadership. “We had to realize that all our initiatives were blocked and that [Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr] Syrskyi is not prepared to speak openly and directly about the problems,” Fedorov said in a press conference in Kiev. Fedorov said Syrskyi had issued Zelensky an ultimatum to choose between the two.
Fedorov said he had sought to remove Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. “We have no other choice if we want to defeat the enemy asymmetrically with minimal losses,” he said.
Fedorov again argued that the further development of the drone forces needed to be central to Ukraine’s strategy. In the past weeks, Ukrainian drone units have achieved some spectacular successes with attacks on targets deep in the Russian hinterland. Fedorov held Syrskyi responsible for the forced mobilization of men liable for military service for the war. He said he wanted to reform the system for recruiting soldiers and avoid forced mobilization. Instead, he wanted to recruit men with lucrative contracts. “We cannot push through this reform without the active involvement of the General Staff but it is sabotaging it,” Fedorov complained.
Fedorov indicated that he hoped that Zelensky might revise his decision not to nominate him again as minister, saying he believes “president is listening to the Ukrainian people.”New defence minister candidate named But hours later, Zelensky nominated intelligence official Yevhen Khmara as the new defence minister. The nomination will soon be submitted to parliament, the president announced on Telegram on Thursday.
Khmara will serve as acting minister until all legal procedures have been completed. Under the Constitution, the president has the right to nominate a candidate for the defence minister job. Khmara has been acting head of the SBU intelligence service since January. He is regarded as an expert on drone operations deep within Russian territory and holds the rank of major general.
However, under Ukrainian law, the minister must be a civilian.Thanks from GermanyGermany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in a letter praised the “excellent and trusting collaboration” with Fedorov, and expressed regret over his departure. “Ukraine’s recent successes against Russia’s war of aggression – such as the deployment of drone units on the front lines – bear your hallmark. Not least, your courage to innovate has created momentum for the Ukrainians in this long-running war!” read the letter from Pistorius obtained by dpa.
GNA